Naruto: A Seer's Fable
by BigCC
Summary: Based on Brim Wraith's Fate of Cards. On his 8th birthday Naruto meets a mysterious blind woman named Theresa and his destiny is forever altered. The cards reveal all, the future is changed, and one boy grows into a true Hero. Naruto X Harem NaruHarem
1. Prelude

Naruto: A Seer's Fable

**_Note: This story was inspired and based off of Brim Wraiths Fate of the Cards story. I have adopted it and decided to make my own with his permission._**

**_Note: This will be my last new story until I finish one of my old ones. I will never have more than 12 active stories at one time. It would be impossible to make any progress on them if I had any more; it's difficult enough with just a dozen. _**

**_Note: As with most of my stories the graduation age is altered to 15._**

"Human Speech"

'_Human Thought'_

**"Demon/Summons Speech"**

**'_Demon/Summons Thought'_**

**Jutsu **or _Card_

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Fable, or anything other than my own original ideas for this story.

**Chapter 1: Prelude**

_October 10th_

In the hidden village of Konoha a great celebration was occurring. On this day, eight years ago, the great demon fox known as the Kyūbi no Yōko attacked the ninja village only to be stopped by the Fourth Hokage who sacrificed his life to destroy the fox. This is the story taught to all of the children both inside and out of the village.

But it is not the truth, at least not the whole truth.

In truth the Kyūbi was not slain, for it is impossible for a human to slay an entity like the Kyūbi. Instead it was sealed away. Not into an object like an urn or a cavern, for those objects could not hold the power of the greatest of the nine Bijū. Instead it was sealed into the only vessel that could contain its dread power, an infant whose umbilical cord had just been severed. That child was named Naruto Uzumaki. It was for this reason that the young blonde was hated within the village of Konoha, cursed by a burden he never wished to bear.

But our story does not begin with young Naruto. No, it begins with an old woman who is currently making her way into the village as the festival took place. She was dressed in strange clothing, a strange, loose, short-sleeved blouse made of strips of red and white fabric held together with leather straps, a skirt with the same coloring and embroidered with strange symbols that seemed to wiggle and glow under the eyes if one stared too long, a hood; colored red with a single strip of white, connected to the back of her dress and hid her face in shadows, and a leather traveling bag looped over one shoulder and carried at her hip. She also wore a great deal of golden jewelry; half-a-dozen bangles on her left wrist, a bracelet set with a single blue stone on her right wrist, an intricate necklace composed of many hoops of varying shapes and sizes linking together, a pair of golden earrings, and several small chains linked to her hood. Her eyes, however, were her most drawing feature; they were empty pits of pale blue that almost glowed with a dull light. As she walked she watched as the children ran around, wearing masks and playing with fireworks, her seemingly blind eyes following them while a soft smile made its way on her weathered features.

"It's good to see children in a ninja village being allowed to hold onto their innocence for just a little longer. But…I feel one young soul is not happy. Whoever this young one is, they are in a lot of emotional pain." Intrigued, the old woman walked towards where the feelings of pain were coming from, avoiding running children, vendor carts, and such with a grace that belied her age and poor vision.

_**~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~**_

Naruto couldn't understand it, yeah people were mean to him and give him mean glares but no one ever said anything truly mean to him except today...on his birthday. He could handle being called Kyūbi brat, and demon spawn, he attributed that to being born the day the fox attacked the village. But what that drunk had said to him truly hurt deep down and he just pulled his knees closer to his chest and continued crying as he remembered what was said, occasionally rubbing his stinging cheek.

_Naruto was just walking down the street happily munching on some dumplings he managed to get, and at a normal price too! Normally he had to pay a lot for food but the man was apparently a merchant from Takigakure, the hidden waterfall village. Naruto was smiling and had his eyes closed as he walked along thinking that maybe today wouldn't be such a bad birthday after all. Until he bumped into a man who dropped his sake bottle._

"_Oh sorry about that! I didn't see where I was going." Naruto bowed as he apologized._

"_Hey don't worr-YOU! YOU LITTLE SHIT! YOU JUST GOTTA RUIN THE FESTIVAL FOR ME, FOR ALL OF US HERE IN THE VILLAGE!" Naruto didn't understand what he was talking about. He could tell the man was drunk and he began backing up getting ready to run in case things got ugly._

"_I'm sorry; I wasn't looking where I was going!"_

"_LYING DEMON! I BET YOUR PARENTS DIED WHEN THE FOX ATTACKED! I KNOW I WOULND'T WANT TO TAKE CARE OF DEMON SCUM LIKE YOU! GET OUT OF MY SIGHT BEFORE I GET ANY ANGRIER!" shouted the man as he slapped the boy across a whiskered cheek, knocking the young blonde backward_

_Naruto didn't give the man a chance to do anything else; he took off running his face becoming stained with tears as he ran to find a place to hide._

_'Why did he say that to me? My parents...if I had parents…would love me. They wouldn't call me demon scum...would they? No, no they wouldn't...parents are supposed to love their children.'_ Naruto looked out from his hiding place and saw a blonde haired girl in a nice kimono with her parents. Ino was her name if remembered correctly. She didn't seem to notice him hiding. He watched as her father picked her up and put her on his shoulders as she pointed towards the festival and told her parents she wanted dumplings making them both laugh.

_'Why can't I have that? Where are my parents? Where is the person to hold me and tell me they love me? I know I didn't just pop out of nowhere so where did you guys go? Why did you leave me?'_ Dozens of questions ran through his mind as he looked up at the sky, the setting sun turning the blue sky into a collage of black, orange, purple, red, and blue. It was beautiful to look at and was one of the few things the young blonde never got tired of watching. While he stared absently at the changing sky the old blind woman stopped about ten feet behind him.

_'So this is who I felt. Such sadness and pain should not come from a child as young as he, but what's this? That energy coming off of his stomach…is that? Yes it is, a Bijū; so the child is a Jinchūriki. That would explain why he has so much pain and sadness. The life of a container is never easy but there is something else, some other power, lying dormant within him. Could it be...yes it is, but how?'_ Before she could continue her thoughts she heard the blonde demon container spoke to himself.

"I just wish I had the power to change things." he sobbed softly

Those words, those simple little words, brought back so many memories to the ancient woman's mind. Overshadowing the young blonde she saw image of a young princess who'd lost her first love to her brother's madness and paranoia, a young boy who'd lost his sister to a madman's delusions and hunger for power, and a another boy, kind and strong, who'd fought with everything he had to rescue his sister and avenge his family. Those images made up the ancient woman's mind. It was at that moment that the old woman made her presence known to the boy.

"But you do child, or rather you can." Naruto turned around startled at the unknown voice only to see an old woman standing there. Well she didn't look that old, maybe fifty or something close to it, but her body stance said she could take care of herself very well, but it was her eyes that drew Naruto's attention. They were pale blue, almost white, which reminded him of another young girl in his class, Hinata Hyūga he thought her name was, only her eyes were milky not the violet hued white which meant she was blind.

"Do my eyes interest you child?" she asked in a kind voice, looking at Naruto with a small smile. Naruto blushed at being caught staring, but he was more surprised that she could tell he was staring at her in the first place. Was she really blind?

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare. Forgive me." He said with a bow hoping he'd be forgiven. She gave a small chuckle and sat down on a nearby crate.

"There is nothing to forgive child, you were merely curious and I cannot blame you for that. After all, curiosity leads to knowledge and knowledge is the truest form of power. Tell me young man what is your name? And you can sit down, I mean you no harm." Naruto just nodded and sat himself down in front of her, and studied her for a minute. Her attire was strange; he had never seen anything like it when the merchants from the other countries would come to town, but, at the same time, Naruto couldn't help but be fascinated by it. It seemed so familiar, like he'd seen it in a dream some time before but couldn't remember it.

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki. What's yours?" responded the blonde with a broad grin.

The blind woman gave him another small smile. "My name? My name is Theresa Casthania but you may just call me Theresa Naruto-kun." Theresa replied before she reached into her bag and pulled out a stack of strange cards and some chocolate, the latter which she gave to Naruto. "Here you go Naruto-kun."

Naruto took the chocolate and sniffed it before deciding it was okay and took a small bite. Naruto face broke into a large grin as he tasted it; it was so warm and sweet, like nothing the blonde had ever tasted before. After devouring the small bar the cards she pulled out caught his attention.

"Say Theresa-bāchan, what kind of cards of those? I've never seen playing cards that look like that before."

Theresa gave another small chuckle as she picked up the stack of cards and began shuffling them."Because Naruto-kun these are not playing cards, these are special cards that are very powerful. They can not only tell the future, but each holds a unique power that can be drawn on by the wielder. Would you like a demonstration?"

Naruto was a little skeptical about seeing the future. _'How can cards show stuff that hasn't happened yet?'_ thought the eight-year old curiously. After a while the blonde decided it wouldn't hurt to have his fortune told, plus he wanted to see these 'unique powers' Theresa had talked about.

"Sure bāchan, could you do my fortune first?" Theresa nodded and shuffled the cards again before setting the deck down. However, before she could draw the first card though Naruto interrupted her. "Bāchan? How do you know what card it will be if your blind? Are you a ninja?" He was expecting her to get mad at him but she surprised him by patting him on the head and messing up his hair.

"Naruto-kun when you become as powerful as me, you don't need to rely on sight. You'll learn that while warriors like the Uchiha and Hyūga take great pride in their eyes, if you remove the powers held in their eyes they are just like any other human. I lost my eyesight a long time ago but losing it has helped me to see in ways others cannot hope to imagine and see much more than my eyes could ever hope to show me. And to answer your other question, no I'm not a ninja. I am more of a seer than anything else, though I do know how to fight and have studied some of the shinobi arts." Naruto's mouth hung in awe at hearing that she could see perfectly without her eyes and decided to test her and held up three fingers.

Theresa merely smiled again. "Three fingers Naruto-kun, now would you like your fortune told or not?" She didn't say it in a mean way at all, in fact she seemed to enjoy that he tested her to see if she was lying about her sight or not.

"Oh yes, please continue bāchan."

Theresa nodded as she drew five cards and laid them down in a straight line before flipping the first one over. Naruto couldn't help but slightly gasp at the artwork displayed on the card. It was the Kyūbi no Yōko, in all its might and glory. Its head hung back as if the creature was howling and its tails were lashing violently into the terrain, destroying most of it. Near the bottom of the image was an open scroll with the words "The Emperor" written in a strange, flowing, script.

"Ah, The Emperor, a great destiny awaits you in your future Naruto-kun. You hold great power within you, but holding that power comes at great cost and will draw many dangers to you. The nine-tailed fox is highly linked to your life." intoned Theresa in a calm voice. She then flipped the next card. On it was a strange image that Naruto recognized as the Sharingan, set on a black background. Like the last card on the bottom in an opened scroll the words "The Pinwheel," were written in that same flowing script.

"The Pinwheel, many challenges await you down the path that leads you to your destiny. The Uchiha clan will also play a great role in your life, but whether it will be as friend or foe will have to be seen." Naruto wondered if this was true since he was going into the academy soon for his second year and Sasuke was going to be in his class this time. Theresa flipped the next card. On this one was the image of a small child holding a teddy bear, with a weird eye with a diamond shaped pupil resting in its center floating in the background. On the bottom was another opened scroll, this one reading out "The Dreamer."

"The Dreamer you will find those who are lost and in pain and only you can help them, for you are the only one who can truly understand them." She flipped the next card over and on it was a coiled serpent, its black scales glistening in the soft light, and below it, still etched onto an open scroll in that odd script, read the words, "The Serpent."

"The Serpent, a great foe lies ahead of you, one whose power is nearly unmatched and whose ambitions refuse to die, but you must be ready to face the darkness ahead." Naruto was in awe, the cards themselves said nothing but the title and she could gather information from just that. Naruto was wondering if it was possible to learn how to use these cards, though he still wanted to see the last card and see what they could really do. Theresa flipped the last card, showing a crimson sunrise over a patch of golden earth. At the bottom the script in the scroll read, "The Dawn"

"The Dawn, many dangers and enemies are aligned before you, but stay strong for the dawn will always pass into the day. Foes from the past, present, and future will come together to fulfill a dark purpose which only you can stop." Naruto at first was worried by the fortunes but it seemed that he had an awesome destiny where he could actually be a hero, be respected.

"Bāchan, are the cards always right?" he asked. She smiled, happy he was curious.

"Not necessarily Naruto-kun. Just as the cards can be changed so too can we change both our own destinies and the destinies of others. Fate is never set in stone; we each forge it with our own decisions and actions. The cards merely tell us the way fate currently flows and serve as warnings for what may come so that we may change it, you just have to know how to interpret them. Now if you'd like, I'll teach you how to read the tarot cards later, but I'm sure you want to see the powers they hold first, correct?" she asked. Naruto's fierce nod made her chuckle as she picked up the card with the snake on it.

"Now Naruto to use the card's power, you must channel chakra into the card, depending on which card you use the amount needed varies. Then you throw, set, or place the card as you see fit before calling out its name to activate it. Now some cards will summon creatures while some do other things, now watch as I show you the difference between the Serpent and the Dawn." Theresa channeled some chakra into the Serpent card causing it to glow blue for a moment.

"_The Serpent_!" she called out. She threw the card and as it hit the ground it exploded into a cloud of smoke. Naruto watched with excitement as a huge snake the size of a horse slithered out of the smoke.

"COOL!" exclaimed the excited blonde. Theresa could only smile at his innocence.

"Now Naruto-kun to release the card you merely have to either stop channeling your chakra into it or command it to release. Like so, _Kai_!" The snake vanished in another puff of smoke.

"Awesome! But what happens to the card when you release it? Does that destroy the card?" She patted his head again which made him smile, the only person who did that to him was the Hokage.

"Not in most cases Naruto. In most cases the card reforms in the holster. However, after each card is used it takes a while to reform, the amount again depending on each individual card. While reforming a card reabsorbs its power until it's ready to be used again, then it will reappear in its holster. However, some cards are so powerful or unique that when they are activated the power they hold dissolves completely. Some of these cards are destroyed after they're used or if they're used in a particular way." Naruto nodded, some of it was a little confusing but he thought he understood most of it.

"Now Naruto-kun, I happened to overhear someone say that today's your birthday. Is that true?" asked Theresa, which Naruto answered with a soft nod. "Well then, every birthday boy deserves a present." she said making the blonde smile as she reached into her travelling bag and pulled out a deck of tarot cards. "Here is a deck of cards to call your own. They don't have any powers and are just normal cards," '_seeing'_ Naruto's slightly disappointed look she continued, "but if you come back here tomorrow morning and have memorized each and every card in the deck I'll teach you how to use the special ones, okay?" she finished with a soft grin

The blonde's answer was to leap at her and gave her a hug, his warm smile and heartfelt 'thank you's warmed her old heart, this child deserved some happiness and if she could she'd give it to him. With one last teary thank you Naruto promised he'd come back tomorrow and be a good student. Theresa could only watch as the blonde-haired container ran off jumping for joy and nearly hitting several crates and trashcans on his way home. She looked down at her deck, still resting in her hand, and drew one last card and laid it down in front of her. On the card was a large man dressed in strange clothing standing atop a giant toad. His head was cast downward hiding his face. Across the bottom read "The Hermit"

"The Hermit...my, my, little Naruto-kun; you seem to be destined for great things. Though it's not truly surprising. After all, the members of our family always seem to have great destinies waiting for them. Isn't that right little brother?" she seemingly asked the wind.

A soft phantom breeze seemed to stir around the ancient seer, seemingly answering her question. Theresa of the Tattered Spire merely smiled. It seems the world was once again becoming a very interesting place.

_**~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~**_

**END CHAPTER 1**

I know a lot of this chapter was just cut and paste, but I promise from here on out it will be mostly original, there's a few things I intend to borrow from Brim Wraith's story but others I want to do own way. Hope everyone likes what I come up with.


	2. And So Our Story Begins

**Naruto: A Seer's Fable**

"Human Speech"

'_Human Thought'_

**"Demon/Summons Speech"**

**'_Demon/Summons Thought'_**

**Jutsu **or _Card_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Fable, or anything other than my own original ideas for this story.**

**Chapter 2: And So Our Story Begins**

_(Timeskip: 7 years later, Naruto's Apartment)_

If there was one thing Naruto Uzumaki hated above all else, it was the dawn. The bright light of the rising sun never failed to rouse him from his peaceful sleep no matter how hard he tried. That and the card bearing the same name seemed to be a constant threat to his life if his readings were accurate; which, after over seven years of training from Theresa-bāchan, they usually were. This morning, like most others, started as the young blonde wished he could find a way to snuff out the insufferable orb of annoying brightness once and for all as he climbed out of bed and proceeded to the shower.

Needless to say, Naruto Uzumaki was not a morning person.

As he entered the shower and turned on the water, his thoughts slowly turned to the past seven, going on eight, years. The time since he first met his teacher, friend, and the closest thing he had to family. He had changed greatly since that night so many years ago. He had grown up; both mentally and physically, well under Theresa's gentle guidance. He now stood a slightly tall 5'09" and his body was thin and sleek lacking any signs of his previous baby fat. A result of good eating, Theresa had managed to convince him to eat more than just ramen thought the noodles were still his favorite food followed closely by chocolate, and physical training, thanks to both Theresa and, a few years later, Iruka. While he'd never be described as 'ripped' the blonde did have his fair share of muscles, all of which were lean and tightly compacted, giving him the build of a runner or swimmer. His hair still glistened a bright sun-kissed blonde and his eyes now practically glowed a deep, luminous, cerulean blue. His whisker marks had deepened slightly as he aged, becoming slightly more distinct. All in all, the former blonde shrimp had grown into a strong and handsome young man.

As he exited the shower, a towel still lying across his shoulders as he continued to dry his hair, he began to put on his jumpsuit. The orange and blue amalgamation was not something most would describe as ninja-like but the blonde had grown fond of it over the years, though he knew he'd need to change his attire once he graduated if he ever wanted to be taken seriously as either a Hero or a shinobi. After all, who'd respect a guy who looks like a walking, talking bull's-eye? As the blonde put on his jacket he reached for the few articles of clothing that he actually intended to keep, all three were gifts from his bāchan.

The first was the reading deck of tarot card that she'd given the blonde that night over seven years ago. Despite nearly eight years of constant use, practice, and the occasional misadventure the cards looked the same as they did that night. The colors of the artwork hadn't faded, the edges hadn't been worn down, and not even the smallest of tears or scuffs marred their surface. If one was to take a look they'd think them a brand new set, not one used by a devoted fortuneteller for over seven years. When he'd asked Theresa-bāchan about that, she'd merely answered, "Magic and faith." with a small smile crossing her lips. They were placed in a unique holster made of light brown leather clipped on the right side of his belt.

Second was his combat deck, a collection of cards imbued with special abilities. Each one given to him in a small packet from Theresa, usually in small sets of a half-dozen cards, over the years as she came and went from Konoha. Right now his deck contained at least one copy of most of the 78 cards filling his reading deck, but Theresa promised more would come in the future. Each one had a unique gift, and Naruto knew each and every one by heart and memory, a necessary part of his training if he ever wanted to become a true combat-seer like Theresa. They were held in a unique holster made of dark brown leather on the left side of his belt. Whenever someone asked why he carried two decks, especially with one being at least twice if not triple the size of the other. The blonde would only grin and say "Spares," as if it was obvious. He didn't want anyone outside of the small circle of people he actually trusted to know about his cards' unique powers until he made Genin. Too much risk of someone trying to steal them otherwise.

But the gift Naruto treasured most was his medallion, his Guild Seal. It was a beautiful piece, given to him by his bāchan when he turned ten. The center was made of a dark burnished gold, with the Hero's Guild symbol stamped directly in its center, a pair of small red gems coloring the two dots. Heading out of the central circle were four long compass points, each pointing outward to one of the four ordinal directions: southeast, southwest, northwest and northeast. Surrounding the central circle was a second circle, this one comprised of a dull aquamarine stone, with four latches of aquamarine stone edged with gold connecting it to the central circle on each of the cardinal directions. Finally, a ring of the same burnished gold material encircled the entire medallion, connected by the four arrowheads. (AN: See Profile for image) The entire object was a bit larger than the palm of his hand, with the ring and arrows extending just beyond edges of his palm, and connected to a silver chain the blonde wore around his neck, letting the Seal hang right over his heart. The Seal was his most precious possession, one he'd fight tooth and nail to protect. A lesson most of the Academy had learned when a group of older bullies had tried to steal it. Said bullies had been forced to quit the academy after Naruto was finished with them, and anyone who saw them would think they'd been mauled by wolf, instead of beaten up by a ten-year old. The Seal made him feel special, like he was a part of something greater, like he was like the heroes in the stories his bāchan would tell him.

That was the thing he liked the most about his baa-chan's visits, not the training or the gifts, though those were always great, but the stories. He loved hearing Theresa's stories about the heroes and villains of the ancient world, hearing about heroes who held the power of Strength, Skill, and Will. The stories of great heroes like the fearless Ben Finn and honorable Major Swift, mighty Hammer, cunning Page, brilliant Garth, kind and loyal Kalin, fearsome Thunder, wise Sabine, swift Whisper, noble Sir Walter, and deadly Briar Rose. Then there were the villains, for what legend can exist without a villain; like greedy Reaver, power-mad Lucien, tyrannical Logan, fallen Maze, cruel Twinblades, and the monstrous Jack of Blades and Crawler. However the stories of three heroes always seemed to captivate the blonde. The Hero of Oakvale, who had his family torn apart and his home destroyed because of Maze's quest for immortality and Jack of Blades' quest to rule the entire world, but overcame it all to become a true hero and saved his sister by destroying the Sword of Aeons. Sparrow, or the Hero of Bowerstone, who fought to avenge his sister's death, and stop Lucien's plot to use the power of a mystic object called the Tattered Spire to remake the world in his image. Finally there was Sparrow's granddaughter, the Hero of Brightwall and Princess of Albion, who lost her love to her brother Logan's cruelty and tyranny and led a rebellion to free her kingdom and faced down an ancient evil that sought to bathe the world in shadows. For some reason the stories of these three heroes seemed to call out the young blonde more than any others.

It was all these stories and many more that had helped shape Naruto's dreams and desire into what he wished to be. As he had told his bāchan after hearing one of her tales, "I'll be a great Hero, just like the others. I'll make myself into a legend the entire world will speak about for generations." he claimed happily.

Theresa had smiled at him at that moment and ruffled his hair affectionately. "With you Naruto-kun, I have no doubt in my mind that you will." she had stated warmly.

Naruto couldn't help but smile and shake his head at that memory. He still carried that dream in his heart along with his dream of becoming Hokage, but there was a third part of his dream that beat in his heart. It was silly compared to wanting to become Hokage or become a legendary hero, but he…he wanted a family. A big one if he could have it. All the years not knowing who his parents were, not having anyone who he could really care about instilled a deep desire for the kind of warmth and happiness a family seemed to bring. Granted that would probably be the hardest part to achieve, since most women, those in Konoha at least, wouldn't want to be near the Kyūbi Jinchūriki. Yes, Naruto knew of his connection to the Kyūbi.

It had occurred during his years training with Theresa-bāchan. Theresa was teaching him how to meditate in order to focus his mind and help with his chakra control. When the blonde had finally succeeded in entering a meditative state he accidently dove too far and entered his own mindscape. Upon entering the dank, sewer-like tunnels, he came across the form of the sleeping Kyūbi. Before anything could happen Theresa had managed to shake the blonde awake and pull him out of his mindscape. Needless to say, the young blonde had been more than a little confused and freaked by his close encounter with the demon. After managing to calm the, then, 12-year-old down, Theresa had managed to explain exactly what the blonde had seen before taking him to Hokage for a true explanation. Naruto had been pretty distraught over finding out the truth, and had been royally pissed at the old man for keeping it a secret from him, but in the end Theresa was able to calm him down. His relationship with his adoptive grandfather figure had been pretty cold for a while after that, but the blonde had forgiven the old man in time.

Shaking his head away from those depressing thoughts and memories the blonde finally arrived at the Shinobi Academy. Naruto couldn't help but smile at the small group of his regulars who'd already arrived at his classroom before him, and he was an hour early. Business was always good when the final exams were approaching, and with the Graduation exam along with the finals for the lower classes starting tomorrow his business was booming. The blonde had originally started doing readings in class for anyone who asked as a way to practice and perfect his skills with the Tarot. He originally did it for free, but started charging after the sheer number of requests he faced became overwhelming. Now business was much more manageable, stable for most of the year with small bursts from different classes and years whenever tests or exams would come up. That and the extra money helped ensure the blonde could afford to eat at more than Ichiraku's.

The blonde knew he had more than a little fame as a fortuneteller. He'd earned quite a bit just a year after receiving his reading deck from Theresa-bāchan. That day he'd been doing some readings after class, when a man had walked by his desk. The man turned out to be Hyūga Hiashi, Hinata's father, who had come to pick up his daughter from school for a specific clan event. As the man had passed by a single card from Naruto's deck somehow slipped out of his hand and landed directly at the man's feet. Stooping down to pick the card up the blonde saw it was "The Wand," a card that warned of imminent danger, particularly by lightning. Naruto had told the elder Hyūga about the card's warning and suggested the man be careful, but the man had simply brushed the blonde off, ignoring such, '_childish superstitions_.'

That night the Kumo ambassador had attempted to kidnap Hinata. Luckily, the blonde's warning had gotten to Hiashi, making it hard for him to sleep that night. And it was only because of this that he was able to rescue his daughter in time.

Hinata was fine, but the ramifications of the event had profound effects, particularly for Naruto. After hearing about the incident at the Academy prior to the event many claimed that the boy was somehow involved in the kidnapping attempt, and started demanding his imprisonment or execution, but the Hokage shot them down. If the boy was involved, why would he warn Hiashi? That question shut up a great deal of people and won Naruto no small bit of fame for his abilities. It was after that that the requests for his readings started coming in by the bucket load, so much that the blonde had started charging just so he'd have some time to do other stuff without being swamped with requests for readings.

It was also shortly after the Hyūga Incident that Hinata's already existent crush on the blonde developed into its near-worship state.

At 1000 ryō a reading, most students wouldn't use a reading out of pure curiosity, though he did occasionally get the occasional curious type who just wanted to see what all the fuss about. His customers were mostly Academy Students from all ages, though a few who graduated before him would stop by on occasion to get a reading. Naruto could easily classify most of his customer's as regulars, those who came in for readings on an almost habitual basis, stressors, those who came in whenever they were worried about something and wanted advise, and curiosities, those who came in just to see what the hype was about or to try and prove he was full of crap, many of which gravitated toward one of the other two groups after a reading. This morning he dealt with a few his regulars coming in for their annual visits, a large number of stressors coming in worrying about their finals, and the usual barrage of fangirls asking for their romance fortunes, each of which Naruto had already given at least a dozen times. All in all, it was just another good morning's work for the blonde fortuneteller.

"Hey dobe."

That is until a rather annoying voice spoke up about ten minutes before class started. Turning his head Naruto caught sight of Sasuke Uchiha. Naruto didn't much care for the Uchiha; the dark-haired Uchiha always seemed to have a major pole stuck up his ass, not to mention a major chip on his shoulder. Granted he was strong, he wouldn't be Rookie of the Year if he wasn't, but the boy's arrogance and poor attitude made him nearly insufferable on the blonde's measure.

Giving the Uchiha a calm look the blonde answered, "What do you want Uchiha?" he asked calmly.

"My fortune." stated the boy seriously.

That actually surprised the blonde. Sasuke had never asked for his fortune before and Naruto had never offered. The Uchiha had often said he didn't believe in that kind of '_superstitious crap_' and often mocked the blonde about his reliance on his cards. Naruto briefly wondered about the sudden change, was he stressed from the graduation exam or merely curious, before shrugging it off. Whatever the Uchiha wanted it for it wasn't his business. "I assume you have my fee?" he asked.

"Why should I pay you?" responded the Uchiha.

Naruto sighed. This wasn't the first time someone had demanded a free reading. Naruto's response was the same as always. "Because if you don't I won't do your reading." he responded calmly.

"So what if I just take your cards and do it myself?" responded the Uchiha with a smug look.

"Do you even know what half the cards in my deck mean?" responded Naruto curiously. Seeing Sasuke's expression the blonde continued. "I thought not. If you want to threaten to just steal them or destroy them then what's the point. After all, that does nothing but waste both our time and give me an excuse to punch you in the mouth." he finished in a bored tone.

Sasuke glared at the blonde for several minutes before reaching into one of his pockets. The blonde momentarily thought the Uchiha was going to try something before his hand came back out holding two 500 ryō notes. He placed one on the table in front of the blonde. "Half now, half after I get my fortune told." stated the Uchiha.

Naruto shrugged before taking one of the bills and placing it with the rest of his earnings. The blonde then picked up his deck and started shuffling slowly. "So what kind of fortune do you want? Short-term, long-term, character, romance?" asked the blonde. When Sasuke raised an eyebrow in question the blonde explained. "I offer several different types of fortunes. Short-term are for coming events like the exams, long-term focuses on your life and future in general, character lets you learn more about yourself, and romance, well that one's self-explanatory. Since this is your first reading I can offer a good suggestion if you'd like." seeing Sasuke shrug in response the blonde picked up his shuffling speed, causing his hands to slightly blur at the speed of his movements.

Sasuke's eyes couldn't help but widen _'His hands are moving so fast. I'd need my Sharingan to track them.'_ thought the Uchiha heir before the blonde suddenly stopped and offered the deck to him.

"Channel chakra into your hand and cut the cards. Don't use a lot, no more than what a civilian can conjure with concentration." instructed the blonde. This was the secret of his fortunetelling, a bit of the recipient's own chakra to connect the threads of fate.

Sasuke looked at the cards for a second before doing as instructed. The blonde retook the deck and quickly reshuffled for a minute before taking a card of the top and placing it face down, before offering the deck once again to Sasuke with the same instructions as before, before shuffling again and placing two more cards face down and repeating the process a third time before placing three cards along the bottom. The result was a three-leveled pyramid of cards. Once he placed his deck back on the table Naruto began to explain.

"This is called the Shepherd's Pyramid. It's a very old fortunetelling design. The top card represents you, who you are. The second row reveals what motivates you, what makes you who you are. The bottom row shows your destiny, what will happen as you walk down your path. Now, are you ready to start?" Seeing the Uchiha nod, the blonde flipped the top card revealing the familiar shape of the Sharingan, representing "The Pinwheel." Sasuke's eyes couldn't help but widen as he saw his clan's precious kekkai genkai beautifully placed on a card.

"The Pinwheel, this isn't surprising. This card has represented the Uchiha Clan for a long time. The Pinwheel is a card of passion and devotion, a card of obsession. One who is represented by The Pinwheel is one born with fire in their blood." intoned Naruto in what he'd come to call his seer's voice. It was kind of like a meditative state as he listened to the voice of the cards and plucked at the weavings of fate. Flipping the first of the two cards on the second row, Naruto saw the image of a man dressed in black armor standing over a fallen foe. The card's bottom read out "Wrath."

"Wrath, the card of vengeance; someone or something has committed a great wrong against you in the past and now your desire for vengeance drives you forward." intoned the blonde

'_Itachi.'_ mentally growled Sasuke as his fist clenched. So far the blonde was hitting all the targets. Sasuke didn't know how to feel about that.

The blonde flipped the next card, only to find it upside down. On the card was the image of a woman wearing pale green robes, in one hand she held a set of scale and the other a sword. Across the bottom read the simple word "Justice."

"Justice Reversed." intoned the blonde. "Personal ambitions hidden under a noble mask; this is the card of one who hides his own feeling and desires under the mask of righteousness. You claim a noble goal, but your heart is fueled only by your own desires."

Sasuke gripped his knuckles tighter, was it true? He claimed to desire vengeance for his clan, to see his brother face justice for what he did, but was that really his goal or was it all about his personal desire for revenge. Sasuke shook his head. _'It doesn't matter. As long as Itachi dies for what he did by my hand, that's all that matters.'_

Naruto flipped the first card of the bottom row, revealing a familiar black serpent.

"The Serpent. One will come to you with an offer of what you desire the most, but you must be wary. The Serpent's offer always comes at a grave price." intoned the blonde as he flipped the next card. On it was two paths, each braced by lines of spears. At the bottom the card read out "The Crossroads."

"The Crossroads. The Serpent's offer will lead you to a great decision. You must think greatly on this choice for with your decision, your destiny will be decided." Flipping the final card the blonde found a trio of lightning bolts all coming down on a single point. Across the bottom was written the word "Judgment."

"Judgment. Be wary of your decision Sasuke, for the consequences of both choices are great indeed. Your decision will affect not only your destiny, but the destiny of many others, though whether for good or ill is yet to be determined. All that is known is that you will have to face judgment for what comes after." finished the blonde as he replaced all the cards back in his deck, before giving it a quick shuffle. "I hope my reading helped you Sasuke, but now I have some advice. The cards I saw for you tell me that you have a great destiny ahead of you, but be warned, great destinies are not always good ones. Right now your heart is filled with nothing but bitterness and hate, and you must learn to let it go if you want to find any joy in this life."

Sasuke gave the blonde a glare before practically hissing, "Don't talk about stuff you could never hope to understand dobe." before standing, throwing his other 500 ryō bill onto the table, before storming back to his seat to brood and think on Naruto's prediction.

'_Well that certainly went better than I hoped.'_ thought the blonde as he picked up the bill and put it with the rest of his earnings as class slowly began to start. _'I half-expected him to punch me for that, but he just walked away. He even paid me my full fee.'_

_**~~~ XXXXX ~~~**_

As class rolled on Naruto found himself becoming increasingly bored. Since the graduation exams were tomorrow today's class was focused mostly on review, stuff Naruto had memorized a year ago. He could have easily passed the exams twice before. Okay, he'd purposely failed the first time and he'd been sabotaged the second. The reason he'd purposely failed the first time was self-preservation, if certain members of the village thought he was another prodigy like Uchiha Itachi then they'd no doubt redouble their effort to see him weakened or worse out of fear of the fox. So he hid what he was truly capable of and focused on improving so when he did decide to graduate he'd be capable of handling anything they threw at him.

As the blonde's bored mind continued to wander he took in the sights of his classmates. His class this year was by far one of his favorites, mostly because he'd actually managed to make a few friends. There was Shikamaru Nara and Chōji Akimichi, the two best friends had actually been pretty nice and the blonde was happy to count both on his, admittedly small, list of friends. There was also Ino Yamanaka, a childhood friend of both. His relationship with her was…odd. The girl enjoyed getting her fortune told and the two chatted whenever she did, making them acquaintances at least, but the girl suffered from a slight case of fangirlism, which had caused her to distance herself from the blonde. Then there was Shino Aburame. His friendship with the logical young man had actually started quite oddly, the young man had come to him to get his fortune read out of curiosity about the strange behavior, but had dismissed most of it. However, when event happened just as the cards foretold and he could find no evidence of manipulation Shino had accepted the power of Naruto's abilities, stating it was "illogical" to deny something he'd seen true with his own eyes. The boy was by no means one of Naruto's regulars or even a stressor, but he did like to discuss the cards and what they meant.

Of course with new friends came new enemies. Well enemies may be a bit strong of a term, more like annoyances. First was Kiba Inuzuka; the boy was brash and arrogant, traits that constantly annoyed the blonde. Not to mention that the Inuzuka constantly mocked his fortunetelling, calling it 'girly' for a boy to believe in that kind of stuff. Needless to say the two were not friends; though the dog-user's competitive nature did occasionally fuel a somewhat cordial rivalry between them. Then there was Sakura Haruno, the girl was highly intelligent and refused to believe in such stupid superstitions like fortunetelling. That hadn't stopped the fangirl from coming to get a romance reading so she could have proof to that she and Sasuke were destined for each other. Naruto shook his head at that. A lot of Sasuke's fangirls came looking for a reading proving that they and their latest heartthrob were 'meant to be.' Most left disappointed while others continued to come back for more, hoping that another reading would show something more. Sakura had not reacted well to her reading. Ever since, the girl had made it her personal mission to oust Naruto as a fraud, and so far she had failed miserably.

The thought of romance readings brought Naruto back to his earlier thoughts of his own family. He'd done a lot of romance fortunes over the years, they were probably his most requested fortune type, but he'd never actually done _his own_ fortune. He'd never really thought about it that much before, thinking only on his desire for a family, not on who it would be with. Deciding that there was no better time than now the young blonde reached into his holster and pulled out his reading deck.

Meanwhile Iruka was in the midst of his review lecture when he noticed his favorite student pull out his deck of tarot cards. Normally Iruka would have gotten annoyed and shouted out for him to pay attention, but this was different. Iruka knew that Naruto had been holding back in order to protect himself, and it annoyed and saddened the teacher to no end that a bright student had to hold so much back just to keep himself safe. Iruka was surprised that Naruto hadn't graduated last year with his friend Tenten, but the blonde said that '_unforeseen circumstances_' interfered with that plan. What these circumstances were and how they could be unforeseen to Konoha's resident fortuneteller was still a mystery to him.

'_Don't worry Naruto; I'll watch your back for as long as I can. After all, if it wasn't for you and your deck of funny little cards I'd never have gotten engaged to a beautiful, kind, young woman who can cook a mean bowl of ramen, and I'll never be able to repay you for that.'_ thought Iruka with a slight grin on his face as he returned his focus back to his lecture.

Meanwhile our blonde was in the midst of rapidly shuffling his cards, when something unusual happened. A bit over a dozen cards flipped out of his hands and landed on the table. To most this would be nothing more than an accident caused by a slip of the fingers, but Theresa-baa-chan had taught there were no such things as accidents when it came to reading the cards. The fact was proven when "The Wand" had slipped from his fingers to warn Hiashi. Naruto looked at the fallen cards and any thoughts of it being an accident were quickly banished from his mind. For twelve cards had fallen from his grasp forming a near perfect circle around the thirteenth card, the only one that had fallen face up. A card that depicted two young people, a man and a woman, wrapped together in a passionate embrace in a majestic garden, with the bottom reading "The Lovers." in clear letters.

For the cards to fall just like that with the card representing love at the center face-up and staring straight at him there could be no mistake. The cards had something big to tell Naruto about his future love life, and it involved twelve different cards. The sheer number of cards astounded the blonde; most people could be described in three or four cards at the most, with a singular card representing them at their truest depths.

'_For twelve cards to appear like this can mean one of two things._' mentally concluded the blonde, '_Option one: the woman I'm going to fall in love with is immensely complicated. Option two: I'm going to fall in love with multiple women. Now all that's left is to figure which is the crazier option.'_ Deciding to put that particular line of thought away until he could consult with baa-chan the blonde reached for the first of the twelve cards, starting at the bottom of the circle. As Naruto flipped the card over he soon found the card staring back at him with an active Byakugan eye sitting in the center, the words "The Sight" written plainly across the bottom.

'_The Sight?'_ mentally questioned the blonde. _'That card usually represents the Hyuuga clan, but the only Hyuuga girl I know is…'_ he took a quick glance behind him to find the blue-haired Hyuuga who his predictions had saved seven years ago. _'Hinata-san? I know she's had a bit of a crush on me since my prediction saved her but could it really grow into love? Another thing I'll have to ask Baa-chan.' _concluded the blonde as he reached and flipped the next card. He found himself staring at a pair of crossed katanas resting over a heart, four kunai pointing out the cardinal points, and a dozen shuriken circling the entire image. At the bottom the card read out "The Sword."

'_The Sword? That's Tenten's card, but I thought she had a crush on that Neji jerk? Damn the questions keep on piling up. Baa-chan and I are probably going to need a long discussion when she gets back.'_ thought the blonde as he flipped the next card. This one depicted a wild boar charging through a forest, with the words "The Boar" written at the bottom.

'_The Boar? That card usually represents the Yamanaka clan if I'm not mistaken, but that would mean…'_ the blonde quickly tossed a glance back to his fellow blonde who was currently ogling Sasuke while the Iruka lectured on and on. _'But Ino's a Sasuke fangirl? Does she eventually get over him or does this card represent another person. Okay, call me a jerk but I hope it does represent Ino just so I know she'll get over the teme.'_ the blonde mentally growled as he flipped the next card. The blonde was surprised to find a familiar black serpent staring right back at him.

'_The Serpent. I've been drawing this card a lot when it comes to both mine and Konoha's future in general. But who do you represent, and how can I have a romantic connection to a being who is supposed to be one of my greatest enemies? Do you represent another person? AGGGGGH! I did this reading to find some answers but all I'm getting is even more questions.'_ finished the blonde with a mental groan as he flipped the next card. This time, revealing a large, blue stag beetle flying through the air, the words "The Beetle" written clearly along the bottom.

'_The Beetle? Okay now this is getting odd. Is Shino going to introduce me to a cute cousin of his?'_ questioned the blonde since that card did often refer to the Aburame clan. Shaking his head the blonde flipped the next card, revealing a single, white snowflake with the words "The Snow." written across the bottom in the normal scroll.

_The Snow? I've never met anyone who was represented by this card before. Maybe I'll meet her in the future.'_ thought the blonde as he flipped another card. This time it revealed a woman standing in front of a crystal ball, with the opened scroll on the bottom reading "The High Priestess."

'_The High Priestess? That card represents baa-chan. I love baa-chan, but definitely not in that way, so it must represent someone else. Maybe a relative of hers, or someone completely different?'_ mentally questioned the blonde as he flipped the next card. Staring back at him was a massive hound standing guard in front of a doorway, the words "The Hound" written on the bottom scroll.

'_Okay, The Hound. That represents the Inuzuka clan. I really don't like Kiba that much, but you never know. Mutt-boy might be the exception to the rule and I could actually find a cute Inuzuka girl who I like? Or maybe it represents another girl altogether?'_ contemplated the blonde as he flipped the next card. This one depicted a massive sea serpent with the words "The Leviathan" written clearly across the bottom.

'_The Leviathan? Another card I have no experience with. Though this card usually represents the seas so maybe I'll meet her if I ever go on a mission near the ocean' _thought the blonde calmly, the chaos in his mind starting to settle after the surprise from the unusual twist fate had thrown at him died down. As he flipped the next card he found. Staring back at him was a man hidden by a heavy cloak, holding two masks in his hands. At the bottom the card read out "The Mountebank."

'_The Mountebank. I've seen this card a few time before, usually it means someone really good at deception or genjutsu. I drew this card once before when Jiji's son, Asuma I think, asked me for a romance reading, maybe the two are connected? I should ask him if he found his Trickster yet.'_ thought the blonde curiously as he flipped the next card. Staring back at him was a tornado that seemed to rip across the open land, and at the bottom written across the opened scroll were the words, "The Wind."

'_The Wind. I don't know any wind elements except for Asuma-san, so I probably haven't met her yet.'_ thought the blonde as he flipped the final card to complete the circle. This one showing a beautiful dark-haired woman dressed in traditional healer's garb, and holding out glowing green hands. The words "The Hierophant," were written across the bottom scroll.

'_The Hierophant. This card usually represents medic-nin, so maybe the girl I'm meant for is a medic or healer of some kind?' _thought the blonde curiously. He examined the cards laid out in a circle before him and began to rub his temples as a headache began to form. _'Agggh, this is so confusing. No human being alive can have such a complicated and mixed up personality, but there's no way I can be with multiple girls. I'm not a pervert!'_ mentally howled the blonde as his now growing headache boomed. The blonde's mental conflict intensified as he tried to figure out what it all meant, until he felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking up from his mental conflict, the blonde found Iruka standing over with a worried look.

"Naruto are you okay? I let class out almost fifteen minutes ago." asked the concerned instructor.

"I'm fine Iruka-sensei, just a really, _really_ confusing reading I did for myself. *Sigh* Guess I'll just have to wait for Baa-chan to get back before I can get any real answers." responded the blonde sadly. He was proud of his skills as fortuneteller, and finding a fortune he couldn't read on his own stung his pride more than a little.

"Well how about I treat you to some Ichiraku's to help get your mind off it." offered the teacher. He didn't like seeing Naruto like this and his stomach was always a good way to distract the blonde. The fact that he'd get to see his fiancé again while showing off his parenting skills, which Ayame had told him was one of his more attractive features, was just a happy coincidence. Seeing the look in the blonde's eyes the instructor quickly added, "But no more than four bowls, I need to save up my paychecks to help pay for Ayame's engagement ring."

_**~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~**_

**End Chapter 2**

**Okay for those wondering, the meaning of the cards will be in the next chapter so you can piece together the harem for yourself. **

**How do you like my first original chapter? Yes I kept a few parts, like Iruka's engagement to Ayame because of Naruto's reading, but it's mostly original_._**


	3. AN: Secrets of the Cards

**Naruto: A Seer's Fable**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Fable, or anything else for that matter.**

**AN: Secrets of the Cards**

**This isn't a chapter, more like an information page about how the cards work and lists all the cards in his now 78-card (the traditional size for a tarot deck) tarot deck and their abilities. More cards can, and probably will, be added to the decks as the story moves on.**

**CARD Basics**

Most cards share the same back image, a golden guild symbol with the two orbs a bright aquamarine, with a pair of white flame designs over the top and bottom of the symbol's circle, on a background of yellow and gold. Some cards, however, have a darker back image, the guild symbol made in a metallic gray, a pair of red slitted eyes replacing the twin orbs, and black flame designs over the symbol's circle, on a background of gray and a dull midnight green. The back also shows the card's rank, being display by a number of gold (for the normal seal design) or red (for the dark seal design) stars in the flames surrounding the seal. _(See Profile for complete images)_ The front has a different image for each card, but the name of the card is always written across the bottom, on an unrolled scroll that crosses the bottom of the card's image.

Naruto carries two decks of tarot cards. The first is his reading deck, from which he performs his fortune telling, the other is his combat deck, which he uses in battle. The reading deck is normal cards. The combat deck has the special cards that are listed below. The reason for carrying two decks is because 1) Naruto's fortune telling requires a person to channel their chakra into the cards, which could activate their effects for some of the weaker cards. (Note: In this fic even civilians can channel chakra by concentrating on an object or action, though the amount is so ridiculously small that most sensors could barely notice it) 2) The combat deck has multiple of most cards, making it too large and cumbersome, not to mention repetitive, for normal fortune telling.

When the wielder draws a card from the combat deck they place the image of the card they desire in the front of their minds while sending a minute amount of chakra to their fingertips, before reaching for the cards. This allows them to choose and draw the cards without looking, allowing for the illusion of all-knowing sight or predetermined fate, but it requires the user to have completely memorized their decks, and the abilities of all the cards they holds, or it would lose effectiveness.

Some cards have effects similar to genjutsu. These cards last until the chakra powering them runs out or until the person affected can break the effect.

Cards return to their deck at different rates determined by their rank. More powerful, and thus higher ranked cards, take longer to restore than weaker, and lower ranked, cards.

The cards are ranked from 1 Star to 5 Star

1 Star ranks are the weakest cards. They are capable of being restored within only an hour or two of being used. Most equate to E-ranked jutsu

2 Star ranks are slightly more powerful and usually take about twelve hours to reform. Most equate high D-rank or low C-rank jutsu.

3 Star ranks take about 24 hours to reform and usually measure up to a mid-to-high C-rank jutsu. They are the most common cards in Naruto's Tarot deck.

4 Star ranks take several days to reform, most averaging between three to four days and are comparable to B-rank jutsu

5 Star ranks are the most powerful, comparable to A- or even S-rank techniques, and take at least a week to reform, if they reform at all

**CARD List**

**Card Name** (Alternate Name) (Card Represents, if applicable): _Card Description__._ Card Abilities. _Number in Combat Deck__Rank_

**_Classic Tarot_**

**The Chariot **(Represents Minato): _A man stands amidst swirls of glowing golden light. The man wears a white overcoat, it's overly-long length extending beyond his knees and edged with crimson flames, under which can be seen the garb of Konoha Jonin. His hair is short mass of bright blonde spikes with long bangs framing his narrow face, while his sharp blue eyes practically glow from beneath his bangs. In either hand the man wields a tri-pronged kunai. Surrounding him swirls a mass of golden light, strands occasionally overlapping over his body._ When activated this card surrounds the wielder in an aura of golden light. This aura enhances the user's speed to amazing levels, allowing them to move as if a flash of light. However, it does have some weaknesses. While activated the wielder is unable to use any other cards or chakra-based techniques, relying solely on physical abilities. _Deck has 2 __4 Star_

**The Cup**: _A silver goblet rests upon a stone pedestal atop a lake. The goblet is beautiful, made of purest silver so bright that it practically glows with a soft light, and just below the rim rests a circle of blue sapphires, each glinting a deep luminous blue in the soft light. The cup seems to overflow, releasing small streams of water over its rim and down its length and over the pedestal, feeding the small lake that surrounds it._ When activate this card releases massive quantities of water. While not effectively damaging the burst of water is strong enough to knock those nearby of their feet as it floods the area. This card is primarily used to alter the battleground and is very useful when one needs to use Suiton jutsu. _Deck has 4 __1 Star_

**The Devil**: _A dark being sits atop a throne of black marble, bound to its seat by spiked chains made of dark iron. The creature is humanoid in form, though in basic form alone. Its skin is rough and grayish red, appearing more like stone scales than mortal flesh, while from its back sprout a pair of leathery wings. Its bald head bears more resemblance to a dog or a wolf's than a man's, with large ears and fangs peeking between its short lips, and dull red eyes seem to glow in their sockets. Atop its head is a pair of curling horns, similar to those of ram. The creature is bound to its throne, dark iron chains caped in spikes wrapping around its body, binding it to its seat, while connecting themselves to the edges of the card. What is most disturbing is the sinister grin locked on the creature's lips._ When activated this card creates dozens of spike chains from around the wielder that lash outward to strike and bind his opponents. _Deck has 2 __5 Star_

**The Emperor** (**The King**) (Represents Kyuubi and Naruto):_ The Kyuubi no Kitsune, standing in all its feral glory in the midst of a forest. Its nine mighty tales lash out at its surrounding, toppling mountains and flattening the forests. Its head is thrown back, its long ears pressing against the back of its head and neck, as it releases a world-shattering howl_. By channeling the nine tail's own chakra into the card the user is able to briefly summon the mighty beast from its prison to fight at the user's side. Kyuubi can decide whether this card will or will not be destroyed after its use. _Combat Deck doesn't contain one yet __5 Star_

**The Empress** (**The Queen**) (Represents Kushina): _A woman stands in front of a throne. She is garbed in a royal kimono colored a bright and vibrant red, a golden scepter with a bright red ruby resting at its top resting easily in one hand while a katana, its blade a dark crimson red, rests in the other. Her face is soft and slightly round, her skin fair, her eyes a bright and vivacious violet, and her hair practically glows a fiery red. Across her lips one can see the trace of a small smile. From behind her, bright red chain streak outward as if exiting from their source to bind something out of sight._ When activated this card creates a dozen bright red chakra chains that exit the user's body. These chains not only bind an opponent, but block their ability to use chakra. _Deck has 1 __5 Star_

**The Fool** (**The Beginning**): _A young man stands in the center of a room made of mirrors. He is young, little more than a boy, with bright blonde hair and dressed in simple homespun clothes. His face is downcast, hiding it from view, as if unsure of what is to come. Surrounding him are dozens of mirrors, each reflecting the young boy grown into a man, his face still hidden, but differently. One shows him dressed in the armor of a knight his sword held upward blocking his face from vision. Another wears the robes of a king, his face hidden by a golden crown. Another shows him in the simple robes of a farmer, his head bowed as he works the soil. Another shows him as a merchant, surrounded by piles of coins, one blocking his face from view. Dozens of possible futures seem arrayed around the young man, all hiding his face from sight._ When activated this card restores an area to a state from a time before. If used on a damaged building it will restore any damage done over a period. If used on a person will restore health and chakra. Both effects take time so not very useful in combat. Can be used for a single rapid recovery but this destroys the card. _Deck has 3 __4 Star_

**The Hanged Man **(Represents Kakashi): _A lone and ancient tree stands atop a grassy knoll. Its limbs are barren, its bark scared by years of life, and its roots partially exposed to the world above. From one of its branches hangs a rope, and from that robe a young man hangs by one of his ankles. His form is garbed in shadows, hiding most of his features save a mass of bright silver hair and a single ._ When activated this card creates a snare around one of an opponent's limbs connected a nearby surface. The snare is made of a solid dark gray rope, which is much stronger than it appears. _Deck has 4 __2 Star_

**The Hermit** (**The Sage**) (Represents Jiraiya): _A man stands atop a toad. He is dressed in the clothes of a kabuki dancer, and his face is hidden, facing downward and blocked by a mass of spiky, white hair. The toad he stands on is as big as a large horse, colored a dull orange with blue splotches, around its neck is a strand of beads with the Kanji for loyal on them_. When activated this card allows the user to enter Sage Mode, complete with a filled chakra reserve. _Combat deck doesn't contain one yet_. 5 Star

**The Hierophant** (**The Healer**): (Represents Shizune): _A beautiful woman dressed in traditional healer's robes stands amidst a field of green. Her dark hair is short and tied back behind her, while she smiles a gentle smile. Her hands are outstretched as if offering aid, and glow with a pale green light._ Allows the user to heal either themselves or others, the amount of healing done depends on the chakra spent to activate. _Deck has 4 __3 Star_

**The High Priestess** (**The Guide**) (Represents Theresa and Shion): _A woman stands behind a table. Resting on a small pedestal on the table's center is a crystal ball, the light blue crystal seemingly filled with a dull mist that seems to swirl under scrutiny. The woman's age and appearance can't be determined, hidden as she is beneath a thick red and white cloak and robe, and the only visible aspects of the woman are her hands, long-fingered and smooth skinned, which seem to gently trace and caress the crystal sphere, and her eyes, which dully reflect the crystal's soft light from beneath her cloak._ When activated this card creates a map of an area, the exact size dependent on the amount of chakra used, of the user's choice, as long as the user can at least see a part of the area or is within the area itself. _Deck has 2 __3 Star_

**The Magician** (**The Scholar**) (Represents Sarutobi and Sakura): _An elderly man sit amidst a vast library. He is dressed in a scholar's robes, patterned in red and white, a large hat covering most of his face while he bends down to search read a scroll lying in front of him. His skin is a light brown in color, somewhat amiss for a man surrounded by word in a dark place, darkened by both age and exposure, and covered in a light plethora of wrinkles and a few darker spots. On his chin one can just see a small goatee of thick gray hair._ When activated this card absorbs an incoming jutsu, which the card's wielder can then release at a moment of their choosing. If the card is not used within 24 hours of capture the card disintegrates and the user must wait for it to reform. After capture the card's image is replaced by an image of the captured jutsu. Both capture and release requires chakra expenditure, though release is less expensive than actively using the jutsu. _Deck has 1 __5 Star_

**Judgment**: _A trio of lightning bolts tears through a dark and stormy sky, each hurtling toward the same target. The dark and cloudy sky splits as they fall, white sparks surrounding each. Where the three meet, a flare of white light blocks all sight, leaving only the vague outline of a skull visible beneath the bright light_. When activated this card calls down a barrage of lightning bolts down at a single or multiple targets. _Deck has 1 __4 Star_

**Justice**: _A woman stands atop a stone pedestal. She is dressed in robes of dull green silk that covers most of her form, leaving only her bare feet and lower arms uncovered. Her skin is pale, and appears almost like stone, while her eyes are hidden by a blindfold of the same dull green material as her dress. She holds on hand forward, holding a golden scale, a feather and a stone heart resting perfectly balanced on its scales. Her other hand rests at her side, gripping the hilt of a silver sword, half of its blade glowing with a bright, golden light, the other covered in shadows. The background is evenly divided behind the woman, half bright white the other midnight black._ When activated this card summons a blade that can either restore the wielder's chakra by draining an opponent's on contact instead of harming them, or restore an ally's chakra on contact by draining the wielders. Can use both abilities in the same activation. _Deck has 2 __3 Star_

**The Lovers**:_ A man and woman, their limbs and bodies intertwined in a passionate embrace, lie in a beautiful garden. The garden is in full bloom, filling the ground surrounding the two with dozens of flowers of all shapes and sizes. The two seem not to notice, caught up completely in each other and their embrace_. As long as the wielder holds this card in their deck they will know if their lover(s) are in any danger. When activated the card will instantly take his lover's side, no matter how far away they are. _Deck does not have one yet __3 Star_

**The Moon**:_ A bright and silvery moon glowing on the background of a starless night. Surrounding it a few wispy clouds attempt to hide its brilliance, but its light shines through_. This card renders the user invisible when activated, blocking even the abilities of dojutsu that allow their wielders to see chakra and pierce genjutsu. _Deck has 2__5 Star_

**The Pentacle **(**The Seal**): _A golden coin rests atop a slab of grey stone. Inscribed into the coin is a pentagram, each point tapering into a small starburst. Inscribed within the star are runes of an ancient language whose meaning has been lost to the ages_. When activated the pentagram creates a seal on the object it touched. The exact nature of the seal can be an explosive seal, a containment seal, a storage seal, or any other of a small list of seals. The activation cost depends on the seal chosen. _Deck has 4 __3 Star_

**The Star**: _A single five-pointed star rests amidst a field of black. Its white radiance seems to glow from its dark backing. At the stars center is a single hole, empty save a smaller star at its center_ When activated the card morphs into a giant shuriken the same shape as the star, with a star-shaped handle located in the center hole. The weapon is quite powerful and will return to the wielders hand once thrown. _Deck has 4 __2 Star_

**The Spire**: _A tower of stone, atop a hill surrounded by mountains. The tower is tall and thin, like a giant needle raised from the earth, and seemed to be made from the same stone as the surrounding mountain. From within the tower several lights glow softly, illuminating the dark night_. When activated this card can causes a massive mass of stone to rise up from the ground, slamming and crushing anything in its path, while severely altering the landscape. Good for either offense or defense. _Deck has 2 __4 Star_

**Strength** (Represents Tsunade): _A woman stands confidently amidst a grassy field. She is dressed in armor of gold and holds a massive broadsword easily against one shoulder. Her face is confident and bears a smug grin. Her hair is a flowing river of fine gold trailing down her back, and her light browns eyes seem ready to stare down the world. Behind her stands a mighty lion, its golden fur mirroring the woman's hair. It stands ready to pounce at any who would dare get in its way_. When activated this card greatly boosts a person's strength, not to the same level as Tsunade of the Sannin but still significant, for a period of time. _Deck has 2 __5 Star_

**The Sun**:_ A golden representation of the sun, shining brightly on a field of white. Its circular form shines like polished gold, while at each corner, a curving blade-like protrusion of darker gold emerges from the perfect sphere_. When activated this card bursts into flame in flight before exploding into a fireball on either activation or impact depending on the user's choice. Similar to the Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique). _Deck has 3 __3 Star_

**The Sword** (**The Blade**) (Represents TenTen): _A pair of katanas, crossed over a heart to form an X. In each of the four cardinal points of the X, a single kunai stands pointed outward. Surrounding both X and heart is a ring of a dozen shuriken, all seemingly caught in mid-spin_. When activated this card creates a single or matched pair of katana, four kunai, or a dozen shuriken. If anything other than the katana is chosen the weapons launch toward their chosen target. _Deck has 6 __2 Star_

**Temperance** (**Balance, The Alchemist**) (Represents Iruka): _Aman sits before a table, strewnacross it lies a variety of beakers, tubes and bottles, each filled with liquids of different shades and colors. The man is hunched over, as if studying the contents before him, showing only a hood to the viewer. In front of him rests two cups, each filled to the exact same point with the same contents, a light blue liquid, which slowly swirls within the cup. The only difference that can be seen is the direction of the swirl, one swirling clockwise, the other counterclockwise_. When activated this card removes any effects from the target, whether beneficial or negative. This includes steroids, poisons, or active ninjutsu or genjutsu. _Deck has 3 __4 Star_

**The Wand**: _A single oaken staff, raised as if to challenge the heavens by a single hand. A bolt of lightning spears downward, striking the staff and surrounding it in a corona of electricity leaving the hand untouched_. When activated the card creates a staff made of solid electricity in the user's hand. This staff can either be swung to strike a foe, which dissipates and electrocutes the opponent on contact, or thrown like a spear, which turns it into a lightning bolt that streaks toward a foe. _Deck has 3 __3 Star_

**The Wheel of Fortune** (**Chaos, Luck**): _A prismatic array of colors shifts throughout this card's image. The altering strands and blots of bright red, yellow, blue, green, purple, orange, and nearly every color imaginable seem to blur and shift under the looker's eye. The only stable seems to be a band of dark blue circling around a red star in the center._ When activated this card explodes in a massive flash of scintillating colors, acting as a very powerful flash bomb. From the explosion come blasts and spears of raw colored light. Anyone who is touched by one of these will suffer the wrath of the elements. Some will be burned, others frozen, others shocked, and still more crushed or melted. _Deck has 2 __5 Star_

**The World** (**Order**): _This card is filled with layers upon layers of circles, each alternating in repeating patterns of colors. Red and blue, brown and green, black and white, these colors and many other sets seem to form layered circles of different sizes throughout the card. Where two circles would intercept or touch they seem to overlap, giving the impression that some are stacked on top of others. At the card's center rests a single band of blue, surrounding a red star_. When activated this card causes several large columns, each standing anywhere between ten and twenty feet, or one extremely large pillar, standing at least 100 feet, to rise from the ground. These columns will then begin to spin rapidly and charge at the user's direction. _Deck has 2 __5 Star_

**_New Tarot_**

**The Betrayer **(Represents Mizuki): _A cloaked man stands smiling his hand extending outward in an offer of friendship. Beneath the man's cloak and slightly hidden behind his back one can still see the dagger poised and ready to strike_. Reverses one of an opponent's jutsu or other attacks launched at the wielder, and causes it to attack the original user instead. _Deck has 2 __5 Star_

**The Brothers**: _Two young men, facing each other, swords locked between them as the card divides where the swords meet. On the right stands a young man, his hair as bright as the sun and skin tanned by hours of hard work under its warm gaze. He dresses in armor of red and gold, one hand gripping the red handle of his golden blade, locked in struggle with the other, while his other holds a sphere of swirling chakra. Surrounding him is a field of blue and red. On the left stand the other young man, his foe's opposite with , grips his sword with matched fervor. His hair is as black as the starless night and his skin is as pale as the moon. His armor is of black and blue as he grips the black handle of his silvery blade with a single hand while the other is enshrouded by lightning. Around him is an aura of black and white_. When this card is activated it creates shadow clones of the user, the number dependent on the amount of chakra used. _Deck has 4 __3 Star_

**The Builder**: _A half-built house stands in the middle of a clearing, its wooden beams and supports still visible and seemingly freshly carved. Surrounding the half-completed building are a plethora of construction tools and supplies; wooden boards, hammers, saws, nails, and many other bits surround the house. The only thing missing from the scene are the builders themselves__._ When activated this card can have one of two effects. The first is that it aids in the construction or alteration of an object; it could, for example, dig a cave into a wall, help build a house by assembling the pieces, or help a patch of plants grow. The second effect acts as the first's opposite, it destroys or weakens objects; it could, for example, destroy the supports in a house, cause a cave in, or destroy a patch of trees and other vegetation. While not exactly useful for active combat, it is an excellent utility card for both battlefield preparations and demolitions. _Deck has 2 __4 Star_

**The Crossroads**:_ Two paths carved into the road, each braced by spears on either side. On each path the spears face upward, their tips glowing with colored light. On the right path the tip glow a radiant white; on the left they seem to exude an aura of darkness. In the center where the two paths meet a single spear stands above the rest, its tip glowing as if aflame._ When activate this card creates five earthen spears that rise from the ground before launching at an opponent. _Deck has 3 __3 Star_

**The Dawn **(Represents Akatsuki): _A crimson sun rises over a patch of golden earth. Its eerie red light bathes the ground in long shadows, as if to foreshadow the dangers to come. In the sky, two clouds float, their usually while flesh bathed a bloody crimson by the dawn's light_. When activated these cards act as flash grenades; causing a massive flash of light to fill an area and temporarily blinding and disorienting unprepared foes. _Deck has 4 __1 Star_

**The Dreamer **(Represents Gaara and Shukaku):_ A small child, standing on a vast, barren plain, his shadow stretching out before him. Behind him on a field of white rests a giant yellow eye, the pupil shaped like a black diamond surrounded by a small dot on each corner. The child's face is downcast as if scared or crying, hiding his face while exposing a mop of red hair. In his hands he clutches a ragged teddy bear._When activated the Dreamer card can have one of two effects. It can either put an opponent into a deep sleep, though they can be awoken by most normal stimuli that can awakens someone who is sleeping, or it can awaken a sleeping target. Can awaken someone from a coma, but card will instantly be destroyed. _Deck has 4 __2 Star_

**Fate**: _A man kneels within a dark room, his arms spread apart, bound by chains of silver and moonlight, and each layered with talismans. His head is lowered hiding his face from view. Behind him a pair of skeletal wings spread out from his back, a few white feathers and strips of flesh still clinging to the bloody bones_. This card turns into a pair of silver chains that bind a person's limbs and fly toward an opponent. They can be dodged, but will seek out and follow their target, or escaped as normal but are highly resistant to chakra. _Deck has 3 __3 Star_

**The Hidden **(Represents Kabuto): _A field of darkness, from within only a pair of slit yellow eyes and the gleam of snarling fangs can be seen._ Greatly enhances all of the user's senses for a limited duration. Useful for scouting and tracking purposes. _Deck has 3 __2 Star_

**The Lock **(Represents Lee): _A giant steel lock connected to chains, binding a massive gate shut. Behind the gate nothing but a pair of baleful red eyes can be seen, glowing slightly in the darkness_. When activated this card can either unlock any normal lock, or seal any door or window shut for a brief period. _Deck has 4 __2 Star_

**The Maelstrom**: _A whirlpool, swirling in the center of a vast sea. Ships and sea-beasts are caught within its swirling confines, all attempting to break free from their watery doom._ This card has two distinct effects. When released over a deep enough source of water will create a massive whirlpool. When used on land it can create either a massive waterspout or whirlwind under the user's control. _Deck has 2 __4 Star_

**The Marionette **(Represents Kankuro): _A simple wooden puppet, its body smooth and featureless, stands atop a stage. It seems to be caught in the midst of a dance though no strings can be seen connecting and controlling it. The only feature carved into its face is an open mouth, seemingly caught in a silent scream_. When activated this card animates a mass of any of the five prime elements and turns it into a golem made of the element it affect. For example: placing it on the ground would create an Earth Golem, placing it on a lake would create a Water Golem, throwing it into a bonfire would create a Fire Golem, throwing it into the air will create a Wind Golem, and putting it on an electric generator would create a Lightning Golem. The golem's size varies based on the amount of chakra used and the amount of the material available, and can range from the size of a child to rival some boss summons. _Deck has 2 __4 Star_

**The Mountebank** (**The Trickster**) (Represents Kurenai and Yakumo):_ A man hunched over and hidden by a dark cloak. He stands within an alleyway, within the shadows of dim lights, hiding his presence from all around. In each hand he clutches a different mask, while his true face remains hidden beneath the cowl of his cloak_. When activated this card can create illusions that enshroud an area; creating anything from a simple henge to more advanced illusions. _Deck has 3 __3 Star_

**The Pinwheel **(Represents Sasuke, Itachi, and the Uchiha clan in general):_ A fully developed Sharingan eye on a background of pure black. Its three tomoe seeming frozen in mid-spin, trapping the reader's eye in an almost hypnotic gaze_. When activated the card can generate one of several effects. The first makes the user immune to the Sharingan's abilities to copy their jutsu and read their movements for a period of time. It can also be used to break a Tsukuyomi, Amaterasu, Susanoo, or similar Sharingan ability in active use. It can also allow a user to gain an Uchiha's ability to track and predict movements, pierce genjutsu, and see chakra for a period. It also has a final use that allows a person to use any Sharingan related ability, such as Tsukuyomi, Amaterasu, or Susanoo, but this will automatically destroy the card. _Deck has 2 __5 Star_

**The Shield**: _A shield lies atop a green cloth. It is roughly ovoid in shape, though its top is nearly flat while the bottom lengthens to almost create a point. It is mostly red in color with golden edges, and an eye-like symbol placed at its center__. _When used this cardcreates a chakra barrier whose size depends on the amount of chakra used when activating the card. The barrier, no matter the size is incredibly strong, capable of countering and blocking most attacks, but it blocks attacks from both sides._ Deck has 2 __5 Star_

**The Sight **(Represents Hinata, Neji, and the Hyuuga Clan in general): _A single Byakugan, it sleet gray iris narrowed while the normally invisible pupil can just barely be seen. Surrounding the eye many veins can be seen bulging outward_. When activated this card allows the user to temporarily be able to see chakra, though not the circulatory system or tenketsu. _Deck has 3 __2 Star_

**The Snow **(Represents Haku):_ A single snowflake set on a field of pure sky blue. Its pure white form perfectly symmetrical and its edges seem to gleam with a razor's edge, promising the cold bite of winter behind its frosty beauty_. When activated this card fires a barrage of about two dozen ice shuriken that swarm an opponent. _Deck has 3 __3 Star_

**The Void** (**Doubt**):_The center of the card is a small sphere of complete black. Surrounding it light and darkness seems to swirls like water going down the drain, flowing into the sphere of complete nothingness__._ When activated this card is capable of countering and breaking a single jutsu used by an opponent. _Deck has 3 __4 Star_

**The Wind **(Represents Temari):_ A tornado spins and cuts through an open plain. The fierce winds blow through all that stands in its way, creating a path of destruction wherever it goes_. When activate card releases a massive gale of wind similar to Fuuton: Daitoppa (Wind Release: Great Breakthrough). _Deck has 3 __3 Star_

**_Beast Tarot_**

**The Ape **(Represents Roshi and the Yonbi):_A fearsome red ape stands atop a mountain. Its fur is a fierce fiery red, with white along its chest and stomach. It beats its white chest with its massive fists, howling to the sky to proclaim its dominion over the surrounding territory, all the while its four tails lash out in concert_. Card creates a massive geyser of molten lava that instantly targets an opponent and barrels toward them. _Deck has 1 __4 Star_

**The Beetle **(Represents Shino, the Aburame Clan, Fu, and the Shichibi): _A horned beetle soars through a bright orange sky. Its blue shell seems to glisten in the setting sun while its six wing glow a dull red and orange, and its long cerci beats in the wind_. Covers the wielder in a shell-like coating of chakra that acts as armor, protecting the wielder from harm. _Deck has 3 __3 Star_

**The Boar **(Represents Ino and Yamanaka clan):_ A fearsome boar, charging through the forest. IT head is low and tusks thrust forward as it charges, ready to gore and impale those who dare gets in its way. Its body is bristled with a thin coat of fur, and its eyes are narrowed blue_. When thrown this card causes a boar's head made of stone to emerge from the earth and launch itself at an opponent, smashing or crushing those who can't dodge. _Deck has 3 __3 Star_

**The Bull **(Represents Killer Bee and the Hachibi): _A great bull, fierce and proud, amidst a great field. Behind the bulls whips eight long tails_. When activated the card sends out two narrow blasts of lightning, similar in shape to the horns of a bull, that spear into opponent(s). _Deck has 3 __3 Star_

**The Butterfly **(Represents Chōji and Akimichi clan):_ A swarm of beautiful butterflies, flying in a double ellipse pattern. Each butterfly is a thing of beauty, a small black body, and a pair of large bright blue wings covered in a mosaic pattern of scales_. When activated this card completely refills the user's reserves while temporarily doubling the size of their reserves. Overuse can cause injury and death from overloading the chakra coils. _Deck has 3 __3 Star_

**The Chameleon**: _A chameleon rests against the side of a tree. At first it's easy to miss, its scales mimicking the color of the wood, but one can barely notice it_. Allows the user to blend into their surroundings, hiding them from normal sight, though they can still be detected by other means, or if they move too quickly. _Deck has 3 __3 Star_

**The Dragon**: _A dragon coils around itself, surrounded by five spheres, each representing a different element. The dragon is beautiful; its scales a deep emerald green, a pair of long sweeping horns grace backwards along its scalp, a set of low, golden frills arch down its back, and its eyes glow a serene blue. Surrounding the great beast on each corner sits a sphere for fire, water, lightning, and wind, while the dragon coils around the center spear marked earth._ When activated the dragon card's wielder chooses one of the five elements. The card then turns in a giant, dragon-shaped mass of the chosen elements to strike at opponents, similar to a Ryūdan (Dragon Bullet) technique. _Deck has 2 __4 Star_

**The Eel**: _An electric eel, slithering through the seas. From the creature's body small arcs and currents of electricity bend and flow_. Releases a wide blast of electric energy similar to Raiton: Jibashi (Lightning Release: Electromagnetic Murder), but much stronger and filling an entire area. _Deck has 2 __3 Star_

**The Horse **(Represents Han and the Gobi): _A sleek white horse stands in the midst of an open field. Its skin is covered in smooth white fur, and its five long lashing tails strike at the wind. It snorts and releases a brief burst of steam_. When activated this card covers an area with thick clouds of steam, acting as an immediate smoke-field. _Deck has 3_ 1 Star

**The Hound **(Represents Kiba, Hana, and the Inuzuka Clan): _A massive hound sits in front of the door of a house. The creature is a monster, at least 5 feet at the shoulders while sitting, with short dark gray fur, a rather flat face, and perky ears, marking it as a mastiff of some kind. It sits straight, ears captured mid-twitch as his small yellow eyes search for any intruder._ When activated the Hound creates a perimeter barrier that surrounds either an entire building or an area a hundred feet in diameter. This barrier alerts the wielder to anything enters the area. The barrier can be created to detect specific species or individuals, determined when activated. Lasts for either 8 hours or as long as the user channels chakra into it. _Deck has 4 __3 Star_

**The Leviathan **(Represents Isaribi): _A great sea serpent swims atop the surface of the sea. Its scales are a beautiful deep green, and the frill across its back glows a vibrant orange. Its head combine serpent and dragon, including a pair of catfish-like whisker, its long serpentine tongue visible as it roars to the skies_. Generates a massive column of water shaped like a sea serpent that than attack and opponent. _Deck has 1 __4 Star_

**The Phoenix**: _A phoenix rising from a sea of flames into a starry night. The background of this card is divided, the top half a starry night sky showing a beautiful full moon, and the bottom a rocky crater filled with pools of molten lava and flame. In between the phoenix rises, a beautiful being of golden and red flames, its head rearing back to send a call into the night sky_. When activated this card turns into a swarm of miniature fireballs, similar to the Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu (Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique). _Deck has 3 __2 Star_

**The Serpent **(Represents Anko and Orochimaru): _A massive black serpent sitting in the midst of a forest. The serpent's scales are black, banded with the occasionally stripe of gray or darker midnight black, and its eyes glow with a dull yellow light. It sits among its coils, it's back raised and slightly arched, a small hood spread out slightly, and its tongue flicking outward to taste the air, preparing to strike any who dare come too close__. _This card can summon a snake whose size depends on the amount of chakra used, can range from anywhere between the size of a cobra to the size of a large summons. The snake combines features of both constrictors and venomous serpents, allowing the creature to either attack with crushing coils or a venomous bite. _Deck has 4 __3 Star_

**The Shark**: _A fearsome shark swims through the great sea. Its smooth skin alternating shades of gray and white as it large fangs show past its lipless mouth, revealing rows of fangs_. Launches a shark-shaped mass of water at an opponent. Similar to Suiton: Suikōdan no Jutsu (Water Release: Water Shark Missile Technique). _Deck has 2 __4 Star_

**The Slug **(Represents Utakata and the Rokubi): _A large white slugs lounges lazily atop a stone. Its skin is soft and slimy, with a streak of dark blue along the back. It's eyestalks seem to droop in a contented haze, all the while its seven tails drag lazily behind it. _When activated releases a gout of acid at an opponent comparable to Zesshi Nensan (Tongue Tooth Sticky Acid). _Deck has 3 __3 Star_

**The Stag **(Represents Shikamaru and Nara clan): _A glorious stag, leaping through the forests. Its body is sleek and supple, moving through the forests as if in flight. Atop its head rests a set of antlers, almost glowing in the pale light of the forest_. When this card is activated it greatly boosts its wielder's speed and agility, allowing them to move with the speed and agility of a leaping stag. _Deck has 3 __2 Star_

**The Tiger **(Represents Yugito and the Nibi): _A fierce tigress prowls the forests. Its fur a bright blue, streaked with stripes of midnight black. Its fangs show brightly in the moonlight as it snarls at its opponents, as two tails swish in the air behind it_. Creates a tiger-shaped mass of flames that launches itself at opponents before exploding in a massive fireball. _Deck has 1 __4 Star_

**The Toad **(Represents Gamabunta, Gamakichi, Gamatatsu, and the rest of the Toads): _An orange toad sits upon a lily pad, relaxing. It wears a blue vest and holds a pipe in its mouth_. When activated fires a sphere of water at an opponent similar to Suiton: Teppōdama (Water Release: Gunshot). _Deck has 3 __3 Star_

**The Turtle **(Represents Yagura and the Sanbi): _A massive turtle resting easily upon the waters. Its shell is smooth as polished stone and glows a beautiful sea-green, and its head is crowned by a mass of spikes. Behind it three tails drift lazily in the water_. When activated creates a barrier in front of the user based on nearby materials, i.e. on the ground creates an earth wall, on water creates a water wall. _Deck has 4 __4 Star_

**The Weasel **(Represents Asuma): _A weasel, its fur white with a mask of black, speeds through the woods. Its claws are sharp and seem more like blades, while the wind seems to stir as it moves by_. When activated this card releases either a single massive wind blade or a torrent of smaller wind blades at an opponent. _Deck has 3 __3 Star_

**_Seasons Tarot_**

**Spring**:_A field in the midst of spring, filled with flowers and full grass. The sun shows in the corner, just beginning to fully dawn. Within the field two children run; a boy and a girl, their hands intertwined as they run__._ When activated this card causes vines or roots, depending on the current location, to sprout from nearby surfaces and entangle an opponent, preventing them from moving. If one vine is destroyed than another will quickly grow back to take its place. _Deck has 2 _4 Star

**Summer**: _A beach, the sand bright and golden, the waves gently rolling against the shore, and the sun glowing in its full glory high in the sky above. On the beach sits a man and a woman, facing out at the water, their backs visible and their hands resting between them, intertwined__. _When thrown this card turns into a massive wave of flames, similar to Katon: Dai Endan (Fire Release: Great Fireball). _Deck has 2 __4 Star_

**Autumn**: _A forest in the midst of autumn, the trees filled with leaves glowing in an array of golds, reds and brown. On the edge a setting sun can be seen. In the center an old man and woman walk, their bodies covered in cloaks, with only their intertwined hands visible__. _When released the card explodes into a mass of autumn leaves that spin and whirl around as if caught in a strong wind. Within the leaves the card's master can project illusions in the swirling leaves, usually clones or attacks to distract foes. The leaf storm last for a duration dependent on the chakra infused into the card and can be maintained further by continuing to pump chakra into the storm once the card activates. _Deck has 2 __4 Star_

**Winter**: _A hill in the midst of winter, the ground heavily laden with freshly fallen snow. Atop the hill rests two graves resting side by side. Above them hangs a full moon, its dull silvery light perfectly silhouetting the gravestones on the starless night__._ When activated releases a gust of icy wind filled with small shards of ice is released at the opponent. Anyone cut by the shards will have the area cut be filled with an extreme cold that numbs and weakens them while they are coated in a thin sheet of ice. _Deck has 2 __4 Star_

**_Four Horsemen_**

**Famine**: _A man, clothed in nothing but rags, sitting atop a skeletal horse in the center of a barren wasteland. His body is gaunt beyond human imagining, his bones and organs visible beneath the thin coating of skin. His face is drawn back into a rigor mortis like grin, while a few strands of weedy hair seem to blow in a nonexistent wind. In one hand he holds a sword, its blade rusted and broken, and in the other he holds a pair of broken scales__._ This card draws away an opponent's strength, draining and weakening them for a time. The person affected feels as if all their strength has left them, as if their very strength had been devoured. _Deck has 1 __5 Star_

**Pestilence**:_ A man, wrapped in dozens of dirty bandages, sits astride a horse in the center of a deserted town. His body is clothed only in dozens of blood-stained bandages, the view bits of skin visible appears to be nothing more than a mass of sores and boils. Its steed stands no better, its body gaunt and covered with sores. His heads is completely covered in bandages, save for a pair of mad yellow eyes. In his hands rests a bow of rotting wood, a quiver of arrows against its back_. When this card is activated the target's chakra is locked away, making it unavailable to them to use. The person affected cannot use or manipulate their chakra while this card is in effect. _Deck has 1 __5 Star_

**War**:_ A warrior garbed in ancient armor the color of dried blood sits atop a massive warhorse in the center of destroyed village, corpses littering the ground. His body is covered in armor, not even the smallest amount of flesh showing through. His horse is a massive demonic creature, armored in barding the same color as its master's armor, and the rest covered in pitch black fur. His head is encased in a helmet with only a pair of glowing red eyes visible. In one hand he carries a battleaxe and the other a sword, both coated in fresh blood_. This card acts as a powerful steroid for the wielder, multiplying their strength, speed, and endurance by ten. _Deck has 1 __5 Star_

**Death**: _A skeletal figure wrapped in robes of pitch black, stands alone in the center of a massive graveyard. His body is mostly covered in his black robes, but the few parts visible reveal only bleach white bones. From his back sprouts a pair of black-feathered wings. His skull is mostly hidden by the hood of his robes, but a single glowing red orb shimmers brightly from with the depths of an empty socket. In his skeletal hands he holds a massive scythe, the wooden handle made of a deep black wood while the blade glows unearthly silver_. This card conjures a scythe, the mirror image of Death's own, into the user's hand. Instead of cutting flesh this blade pierces chakra and soul. Any limb or body part cut by the blade will be unable to move or channel chakra for an extended duration. _Deck has 1 __5 Star_

_**Seven Sins** _

**Envy** (Reversed: **Trust**): _Two men stand locked in battle, both wearing traditional armor and their faces blurred by the constant motions and struggles. At their feet rests a pile of gold and gems, the source of the two's confrontation. In the background, yet somehow standing as the focus of the image, directly between the two stands a figure. He is garbed in robes of deepest black, hiding most of his features from sight, but the one can still see the bloody dagger the figure holds in one hand and the sly smirk crossing his face, showing sharp white teeth__. _When activated this card immediately forces an opponent to launch a single attack at their nearest enemy. The attack is of the best ability the target can use_. Deck has 2__3 Star_

**Greed** (Reversed: **Charity**): _A figure sits atop a golden throne, every inch of its vast size covered in gold, silver, and precious gems. Surrounding the throne are heaps and piles of coins, jewels, art, and any other type wealth one could think of. Sitting on the throne is a skeletal figure, dressed in a black royal kimono, covered in a great variety of jewelry, and wielding a golden scepter in one of its hands while the other seems to skim through a pile of bloodstained coins next to the throne. The figure's face is shadowed by a massive golden crown studded with rubies, but one can still see the hungry smile showing rows of sharp white teeth__._ When activated this card launches a swarm of coins and gems at an opponent. Once they make contact the wealth starts to explode in a number of small, but devastating, explosions. _Deck has 2 __3 Star_

**Gluttony** (Reversed: **Temperance**): _A massive figure stands in the center of a room. The figure is immensely obese, fat rolling of the sides creating an almost round individual. He is dressed in black overalls that stretch over his immense gut and a white sleeveless shirt, exposing massive arms of pale, oversized flesh. In one hand the creature holds a bloody butcher's knife and in the other a hunk of still bleeding meet, complete with a large bite-mark near the top. Behind the creature stand piles of bones of all kinds of creatures, including the occasional human skull, and all showing the occasional bite mark. The creatures face is mostly concealed by the shadows of the room, but one can still see a large, bloody smile, filled with sharp white teeth__._ When activated this card creates a half-dozen shadow tendrils connected to the user's arm that spear out to strike opponents, if they make contact the tendrils drain the victim's chakra, restoring the wielders at the same time. _Deck has 2__3 Star_

**Lust** (Reversed: **Prudence**): _A beautiful woman sits atop a bed lined with crimson colored sheets, filmy red drapes, and heart-shaped pillows. She is a majestic creature in every way; her skin is pale and flawless, her hips full and round, and her breasts large and supple. She is dressed in a loose, backless, black dress that barely covers her impressive bust, long black gloves that reach her elbows, and black high-heeled boot that reach her knees. One of her hands is extended, fingers beckoning the viewer closer. Her mane of dark hair covers most of her face in shadows but one can still see the luscious smile on her lips, showing sharp white teeth surrounded by crimson lipstick__._ When activated this card binds the target in an illusion of their greatest desires being fulfilled. Since the genjutsu is pleasurable instead of painful it is much harder to break, and excellent for immobilizing targets, since their bodies' are paralyzed while their minds are locked in their dreams. _Deck has 2__3 Star_

**Pride** (Reversed: **Humility**): _A man stands beneath a single spotlight. Surrounding the spotlight one can see nothing but darkness. The man stands calmly in the center of the spotlight, dressed in a black tuxedo colored only in black and white. The only color other than black and white on the man is his crimson red lapel. His hands are crossed demurely behind his back as he stands straight but somehow at ease. On the floor beneath the man's glossy black shoes one can see a small trickle of blood coming in from out of sight. The light covers his face in shadows, but one can still see the slight smirk on his face, showing sharp, white teeth__._ When activated this card causes one opponent to become completely blind for a duration dependent on the chakra used to activate the card. _Deck has 2__3 Star_

**Sloth** (Reversed: **Fortitude**): _A man lounges on a couch in the center of what once could have been a fine and expensive apartment. The furniture, including the couch, is tattered and covered in stains, the floor is stained and covered in filth, and the walls are starting to peel and rot. The man is dressed in what was once a fine suit, but now appears as barely more than a bunch of rags, the clothes are now tattered and ripped from long periods of constant use and poor repair. The man's head is tilted back slightly, covering his face in shadows, but one can still see the lazy grin on his face, showing sharp, white teeth._ When activated this card cause the target or targets to become completely paralyzed. The number affected and duration of the paralysis are determined by the amount of chakra used to activate this card. _Deck has 2 __3 Star_

**Wrath** (Reversed: **Honor**): _A figure garbed in deep black armor stands atop a downed man. The downed man is unarmored and unarmed, dressed in the simple clothes of a civilian. His body is covered in cuts of numerous sizes, all bleeding profusely and his face is locked in an expression of horror and fear. The man standing over him is a menacing figure, armored in a suit of black iron, and wielding a longsword with a black blade in one hand, still dripping with its victim's blood. His face is mostly concealed by the shadows of his frontless helmet, but one can still see the snarling grin across his face, filled with sharp, white teeth__. _When activated this card acts as a steroid, greatly increasing the wielder's strength, speed, and endurance. _Deck has 2 __3 Star_


	4. The First Test, Part 1

**Naruto: A Seer's Fable**

**REVIEW RESPONSE:**

1farticus3000: Yes, but I'm not revealing everyone's card on that installment, just those important to the current arc, those important to the story as a whole, and those who I just wanted to clarify.

2Kyukon: Sorry, but I'm using Yugito in quite a few other stories, but I am using Fu the Jinchūriki of the Seven-Tailed Beetle, who I am assuming is female. Thanks and I'll try to keep up the good work.

3deadkid23: Thanks

4VanillaIce1: Thanks, and I know it's unusual for me to post more than 1 chapter at a time, but I wanted to post the preface with my first original chapter so no one would think I was just copying Brim Wraith. A bit about Naruto's ninja skills will be revealed this chapter while a full evaluation will probably reveal itself in the next two or three chapters. Yes, it is a lot of info, but I wanted to give all the info on his current collection, and there will be more soon. By the time we reach Shippuden time area I hope to have at least a hundred cards in circulation with our blonde hero.

5ZeroLink21: Glad you like the readings so far.

6Force 'Hog: Thanks, and while the cards will play a heavy part in Naruto's offense, they won't be his only tools.

7917brat: Glad you're interested; hope I can keep your attention.

8Brim Wraith: I'm glad you approve, it means a lot when the original author gives you his approval on your remake of his story.

9vash3055: Thanks, and I will.

10DanteOtaku: Thanks, and yeah I've always wondered why there weren't more of this crossover out there anyway. Hopefully it will get more popular with time.

11KitsuneNoYomeiri: Bravo on guessing the Harem and I wasn't actually attempting to make it difficult to understand. I just thought it would be a good way to add it into the story.

12the water omega: O kay, okay, okay.

13dracopoet: Sure and thanks

14ruler of the ice dragons: The Brothers card represents a powerful bond between two people, whether that it is one of friendship or one of hatred, and reversed it represents the breaking of a bond.

15Wolf07: Thanks, and intend to continue it until the bitter end.

16Fayneir: Thanks

"Human Speech"

'_Human Thought'_

**"Demon/Summons Speech"**

**'_Demon/Summons Thought'_**

**Jutsu **or _Card_

_AN_: For those who don't already know, I've place a poll on my profile page about whether or not I should include Fable monsters like Hobbes, Trolls, Hollow Men, and Balverines in this story. I'd appreciate everyone giving me your opinion. Oh, and just to clarify I'm using a simple system that says 100 ryo = 1 dollar. So the 1000 ryo Naruto charges for his fortunes is equal to about $10.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Fable, or anything other than my own original ideas for this story**

**_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX _**

**Chapter 4: The First Test, Part 1**

_(Later that evening, Ichiraku Ramen Bar)_

Naruto and Iruka had arrived at the small Ramen Bar a short while ago. After Iruka got a welcome kiss from his fiancé the two had placed their orders with Naruto starting with a large bowl of Pork Ramen, followed by a bowl of Chicken, then a bowl of Vegetable, which was Naruto's least favorite but he tried to eat a bowl with each serving since it was healthier while still being ramen, and finishing with what Ichiraku's had dubbed: Dessert Ramen. It was made using a chocolate sauce made from a variety of melted chocolates, a doughy, sugary noodle specially made by Teuchi, and mixed with bits of strawberries, marshmallow, and chocolate chips. That little creation had been the brainchild of their number-one customer. While Teuchi hadn't expected it to sell, he'd still put it on the menu at the blonde's insistence. He was quite surprised when it became a huge hit. Now it was a favorite dessert treat for the Akimichi Clan, after Naruto had brought the clan heir Chōji to the stall and insisted the boy try a bowl, and a number of younger and older customers, particularly older kunoichi with a sweet tooth. It was becoming so popular that Teuchi was currently receiving offers from several local sweet shops for the recipe. Hell, one of _Hi no Kuni_'s (Fire Nation) main instant ramen manufacturers had stopped in a few months ago to ask if it would be possible to make an instant ramen version of the dish.

As the two waited for their bowls to be served, Iruka decided to start up a conversation. "So, what was that reading about that had you so troubled?" asked the older chūnin curiously. Naruto usually showed very little worry or had any trouble interpreting the fortunes his cards showed him, and he could see that this one was truly frustrating the blonde.

The blonde sighed. "Well, I was thinking about all the fortunes I've read while at the academy, particularly the romance readings the fangirls constantly ask for to convince themselves they're meant to be with Sasuke." he started, getting a nod from Iruka. "Well, while I was thinking it occurred to me that I'd never actually done a romance reading for myself, so I decided to try one out and…" Naruto's voice trailed off as he dug into his ramen.

"What's wrong?" asked the chūnin worriedly.

"The reading I got back was very…confusing." stated the blonde as he gave a quick explanation of what had happened and what the formation and sheer number of cards could mean as their ramen arrived. While he spoke the blonde's eyes partially closed until they were barely more than slits; a sign Iruka recognized for when the boy was deep in thought, particularly about a reading. "I have a good idea on who the people represented by The Blade, The Sight, and possibly The Boar are, and maybe a general idea of who or what The Hierophant, The Mountebank, and maybe The Hound could mean, but the rest have got me stumped." sighed the blonde in defeat over his second bowl.

"Well there are only two people in Konoha who have a connection to snakes." offered Iruka helpfully.

"Really who?" asked the blonde

"The first is Orochimaru of the _Densetsu no Sannin_ (Legendary Three Ninja), also called the Snake Sannin; he betrayed the village before you were even born and is now a very dangerous missing-nin. The other would be his former apprentice Anko Mitarashi." explained Iruka.

"Anko…that name sounds familiar. Can you describe her for me?" questioned the blonde.

"Well let me think, she has purple hair, pupil-less amber eyes, and she usually wears a long, tan trench-coat and a mini-skirt over a mesh bodysuit. Oh and she usually wears her hitai-ate across her forehead and a snake-fang necklace around her neck." offered Iruka, doing his best to describe the woman's more noticeable features.

Naruto snapped his finger. "Oh yeah, I've seen her before. She hangs out around Training Ground 44 a lot doesn't she?" he asked, getting a nod from Iruka. "That's where I've seen her before. I wonder if and why the cards are pointing to her?" he asked as he prepared to dig into his last bowl, this one his Dessert Ramen. "Guess I'll have to ask bāchan when she gets back, along with all the other questions that crazy reading has brought on." he mumbled under his breath.

"So Theresa-san's not back from her latest trip yet?" he asked calmly. He'd met the old, blind woman who acted as Naruto's foster-grandmother several times in the past and had come to respect her, even if the woman remained a mystery to everyone around her.

"No, not yet," stated the blonde as he shook his head, "but she should be back soon. She promised she'd be back in time for the Genin Exams tomorrow and bāchan's never broken a promise to me before." finished the blonde seriously. Theresa-bāchan had always taught him the importance of keeping his word. 'The strength of a person's word is the strength of their soul.' was what she always told the blonde.

"And I never intend to, as long as I can help it." stated a mysterious, yet familiar, voice from behind the two.

Naruto quickly slurped up the last of his sugary noodles before spinning around in his stool and launching himself at the source of the voice. "Bāchan!" he happily called out as he hugged his mentor/grandmother.

"Good to see you're still as affectionate as always Naruto-kun." she stated as she returned the hug. "And it's good to see you as well Iruka-kun." she stated with a small nod at the academy teacher as she took a seat on the stool on Naruto's opposite side.

"Good to see you as well Theresa-san." returned the man politely. He would gladly admit that the older woman unnerved him slightly, but that was no excuse for disrespect.

"While I'm glad to see you eating Naruto-kun, I do hope you've been eating more than ramen, particularly that Dessert Ramen you created to merge your favorite foods." continued Theresa jokingly.

"Come now Theresa-san, don't be too hard on the boy." came the voice of Teuchi Ichiraku from in the kitchen. "You've already got our number one customer to cut his eating here in half. Anymore and we may go bankrupt." he finished jokingly.

Theresa merely nodded her head with a small grin on her face.

"So baa-chan how was your trip?" asked the blonde curiously, deciding to change the subject before his ramen intake was further limited.

"It went well Naruto-kun." responded the aged seer. "I traveled across several smaller countries and found a good bit of inspiration for some new cards; but before that, I believe you two were discussing a certain confusing reading you had before I arrived."

Naruto quickly nodded his head before explaining the reading. Theresa listened intently as Naruto described how the cards fell in a perfect circle around a face-up The Lovers, and which cards were in the circle, laying each out across the counter as he had flipped them. "You can see why I'm so confused, can't you bāchan? I mean the only logical explanation I can think up for such a large and diverse reading is that I'm supposed to fall for multiple girls." explained the blonde.

"It is indeed a strange reading Naruto-kun, but not one without an answer." agreed the woman. She had an idea of what the cards could mean, and it boded well for a meeting she had planned with the Hokage in the near future, but for now it would be best not to burden the young blonde with her own suspicions. "For now I'd advise you to put it in the back of your mind. You have more important things to worry about, like the exams tomorrow." suggested the older woman.

Naruto reluctantly nodded his head. He didn't like letting any reading go until he had a solid idea about it, but Theresa had taught him that some answers will only come with time. "I understand Bāchan, but I'm still curious about what it could mean."

"Your curiosity will always be one of your greatest strengths Naruto-kun." stated Theresa warmly. "For curiosity leads to knowledge, and knowledge…"

"Is the truest form of power." finished the blonde as he completed one of his mentor's favorite sayings.

"Correct." finished the woman with a warm smile as she ruffled the blonde's hair. "Now about the Exams tomorrow, do you intend to finally graduate?"

"I do." agreed the blonde. "I've prepared myself as best I could for everything that could come from graduating and becoming a shinobi. I'm also ready in case those _'circumstances'_ come up again." finished the blonde in a low tone.

"That's good to hear. I actually have a meeting with Sarutobi-kun during that time. Hopefully he and I will be able to watch the proceedings to make sure those _'circumstances'_ don't get a chance to arise again." agreed Theresa with a slight nod.

"You know, you two have never told me what these _'circumstances'_ were." put in Iruka, hoping to finally get an explanation from one of the tow fortunetellers sitting beside him.

"Merely so you can't worry yourself over things you could not or cannot control Iruka-kun. Merely know that they are out of your hands and that Naruto and I are fully capable of handling them ourselves." stated Theresa in a kind yet slightly scolding tone.

Iruka nodded. "Alright, I'll accept it's one of those 'fortuneteller things' I'll never be able to understand, but I hope you both know you can trust me to help if you ever needed it."

"I know Iruka-sensei. After all The Temperance, is always a card to be trusted and relied on." stated the blonde fortuneteller, referring to the card that Naruto said represented him, as he stood up and stretched. "Well I'm going to do a little training before I hit the hay. Speaking of which, do you have any new cards for me Bāchan?" he asked hopefully.

Theresa merely smiled at the blonde as she reached into her traveling back before she pulled out a small brown leather packet. "Now Naruto be careful with these, a few of the newer ones are quite potent and can only be used once. Make sure to study them thoroughly before you even think of using or testing them." she warned as the blonde took the packet.

Naruto nodded his head in confirmation before taking the packet and giving a salute before running off.

"He seems happy now." stated Iruka warmly. "I just hope he's really ready for becoming a true shinobi."

"Naruto-kun is beyond ready." stated Theresa assuredly. "I have trained him for the last seven years of his life, and I can assure you the boy is strong. He has to be for the destiny that awaits him." she finished softly as she watched the people walk by the stand.

'_Such a peaceful place, I merely hope this peace can last for a while longer.'_ quietly mused the woman as she watched a small group of children play as they passed the small stand.

**_~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~_**

Several hours later we find our blonde returning to his apartment, he'd spent the last few hours practicing for what he knew would be on the test, taijutsu, kunai and shuriken throwing, and of course the basic ninjutsu. Now he was tired and ready to head to bed early. But before he did that he wanted to study the new cards his bāchan had given him. Sitting atop his bed the blonde slowly opened up the small brown leather pouch and let the cards slip out into his palm. Naruto noticed that there were only five cards in the pack. Not as many as normal, but Bāchan had said that these were particularly potent.

The first ones he noticed was a set of three perfectly matching cards. Each one had a dim outline of a person's shadow on a large field of slate gray, except the shadow's eyes seemed to glow a pale, luminous yellow. Across the bottom written on the standard scroll were the words "The Shadow."

Next was a single card that made the blonde's heart stop. The art on it was dark and yet strangely beautiful. In the center of the card a heart seemed to rest, wrapped in chains of pure black. At the bottom of the card, its scroll read out, "Oblivion." in cold harsh letters. The card almost oozed power, but it was a power that Naruto wasn't exactly comfortable with, a dark almost sinister power. Naruto couldn't help but notice that the card had the Dark Seal on the back instead of the normal Guild Seal. The only cards Naruto had with that symbol were the Seven Sins, the Four Horsemen, and The Devil. All of which were rather nasty cards in his own opinions with sinister powers.

Finally was a card that showed a young man, his features vague and indistinct. On half the card the man seemed hale and hearty, a picture of physical health and garbed in what Naruto assumed was typical Konoha shinobi attire. On the other side was a skeleton, garbed in only the ragged remains of a uniform, its grin perfectly matching the man's. Across the bottom was the cards name, "The Rebirth." Like Oblivion this card also radiated power, but it was a much more peaceful power.

Taking a deep breath the blonde sat in a meditative position and laid all three new cards, one of The Shadow and the Oblivion and The Rebirth cards, across his lap. As the blonde's breathing began to slow the cards began to rise, slowly but surely, until all three were floating an inch over the blonde's lap, spinning slowly as a dull blue aura of the blonde's chakra surrounded each. Several minutes later, the blonde's meditation began to end and the cards slowly began to lower back to the ground until they were resting peacefully back on his lap. Opening his eyes the blonde let out a deep breath.

"Whoa." breathed out the blonde, "When Bāchan said you were powerful, she wasn't kidding." stated the blonde as he stared at the Oblivion and The Rebirth cards. The meditation was a trick his bāchan had taught him so he could understand the abilities of his cards without her having to be around to explain them to him. It was also a test to make sure any card he created himself was in perfect working order. Theresa had only started teaching him how to craft his own cards a year ago, and right now he could only create some of the least powerful one, nothing greater than 2 or 3 Stars, but it was a good start.

Deciding it was time to get some sleep so he'd be well-rested for tomorrow, the blonde quickly put his new cards into his combat holster, while slipping the reading versions, which Baa-chan included in the back of the pack, into his reading deck before crawling under the covers and quickly drifting off to sleep.

_~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X ~~~~~~~~~~~~_

The next morning came with a fairly typical start, Naruto grumbling oaths about how he would one day find a way to destroy the retched sun once and for all. Part of him wanted to go back to sleep since he didn't have to be at the Academy early today because he always refused to do readings when there was a big test or similar exercise he had to do that day. He always said that he didn't want to risk tiring himself out since some fortunes could be mentally draining. Unfortunately for him, that proved to be impossible since the blonde's body seemed wired to wake with the rising sun each day, something the blonde personally despised about himself. So after exiting his shower the blonde put on his jumpsuit and started getting ready to leave.

Before he left, the blonde decided to give himself a quick reading. Better to be prepared, particularly if history repeats itself. So sitting down at his table the blonde drew out his cards and quickly shuffled his cards before lying five down across the table. Flipping the first card he wasn't surprised to find the howling visage of the Kyūbi no Yōko staring back at him.

"The Emperor, my own personal tarot." he stated with a soft grin. Whenever he read someone's future the first card was usually the card that best represented them. For Naruto it was The Emperor, the card that Baa-chan had told him represented a great destiny and his connection to the Kyūbi. Flipping the next card the blonde found the snorting image of a wild boar staring back.

"The Boar, something's going to happen involving Ino today." the blonde mused as he flipped the next card, this time revealing a man garbed in a thick cloak offering out his hand, while he hid a knife behind his back, the words "The Betrayer," written across the bottom scroll.

"Hm. Looks like you're up to your old tricks Mizuki-teme, but I'm ready for you this time. You won't be able to interfere with my tests this time, especially if you try the same tricks as last year." smirked the blonde. The sleazy teacher had managed to foul up the blonde's last attempt, but the blonde war ready for him this time. Flipping the next card, Naruto was surprised to find a card with a vaguely human-shaped puppet on it. The words "The Marionette." were written across the bottom.

"The Marionette?" questioned the blonde. "So you're just a puppet for someone else Mizuki-teme, but I wonder who's pulling your strings?" asked the blonde as he flipped the last card, revealing an all-to-familiar black serpent.

"The Serpent, I should have known. But who do you represent? That Anko woman Iruka-sensei told me about? Or this Orochimaru guy who betrayed the village?" muttered the blonde as he picked up his cards, gave them a quick shuffle, and put them back in their sheath before heading off towards the Academy.

Naruto arrived at the Academy about half-an-hour before classes started. Sitting down at his usual seat the blonde reached into one of his jacket's pockets and pulled out a deck of playing cards before he stated to play a quick game of solitaire. Most didn't even bother to look up when they saw the blond start to play. While the blonde loved his tarot cards they weren't the only cards he carried around. He also carried around several decks of _apparently_ normal playing cards. What most didn't know was that these decks were a present from the Sandaime, and each card had a special seal placed on the back that, when chakra was channeled into them, turned the small cards into razor-edge weapons just a dangerous as regular shuriken. The old man said that he'd come across a couple of shinobi who'd used similar cards during his younger years as a shinobi and thought they suited the blonde. The old man had even given him a couple scrolls with special jutsu based on using the card-shuriken a few years later. So far the blonde had managed to pick up quite a few of those jutsu, but most of the really advanced ones were beyond his reach at the moment.

His game was interrupted a few moments later by a slightly soft voice.

"Hey Naruto?"

Naruto turned his head to find one Ino Yamanaka, standing next to him. Naruto took a quick minute to study the girl. She was fairly tall for a girl, standing about 5'4" with long platinum blonde hair tied up in a high ponytail that reached down to her waist while her bangs cover half her face, and pupilless light blue eyes. She wore a short, purple, vest-like shirt with a raised collar, a skirt that was cut off on the sides, and bandage on her stomach and legs as well as purple and white elbow warmers. Naruto had to admit she was an attractive young lady and she knew how to show it off. "Yoh, Ino-san. What's up?" he asked cheerfully.

Ino quickly looked down as she started to nervously rub on of her elbow warmers. "Well…you see…I know it's against your usual policy, but would you mind…giving me a reading?" she asked nervously.

Now Naruto was surprised. Ino was usually a forceful young woman, for her to be this nervous was rare. "Something wrong Ino?" he asked concerned.

"NO!" she quickly denied, before seeing the knowing look in his eye and caved. "Yes…something happened last night, and now I'm really confused. I could just…use some advice." she finally muttered out.

"Normally it's against my rules to give a prediction on a day like today," Naruto started, and Ino let her expression drop in disappointment, "but for a friend in need, I suppose I can make an exception."

The girl's slightly forlorn expression burst into a smile. "Thanks Naruto, I really appreciate it." she said gratefully.

"No problem Ino-chan. After all, what are friends for?" he stated as he drew out his reading deck and began to rapidly shuffle the cards.

As usual Ino was amazed at the speed of Naruto's hands. "Wow. How do you do that?" she asked.

"Lots of practice." stated the blonde casually as he continued to shuffle at rapid speeds. "It's also good for hand-eye coordination training, one of the reasons I'm one of the top scorers on the target range." he continued as he offered the deck to Ino, who quickly took it and cut the cards while channeling a small bit of chakra into her hand. She knew the standard procedure since she'd come for readings quite a few times in the past. Taking back the deck the blonde shuffled it once more before asking? "How many?"

"Four." answered Ino, indicating how many cards she wanted drawn.

The blonde nodded and placed four cards face down before putting down his deck and flipping the first one, revealing the image of a wild boar.

"The Boar, your card." stated the blonde fortuneteller with a soft smile, remembering the first time he'd shown Ino her identifying card. The girl was half-ready to beat his skull in for the 'pig joke' before he managed the card represented a strong-willed personality, one who refused to be controlled easily. That had managed to mollify the female blonde's rage and prevent a rather painful beating on his part. Flipping the next card, Naruto found an image of a black hole with the words, "The Void" written on the scroll below it.

"The Void or, as it is sometimes called, Doubt. There is something deeply troubling you, your confidence in something you had long thought true has been broken and now that turmoil seeks to consume you." intoned the young fortuneteller as he looked at Ino with a hint of concern.

Ino slowly and sadly started nodding her head. Last night she had gone to bed early so she'd be well rested for the Exams today. An hour later Ino had went downstairs to get something to drink when she overheard her parents talking. Being the naturally inquisitive girl she was, she had listened in. And what she had heard had shocked and saddened her.

Her father had been talking to her mother about his concerns for his daughter's future, worried that she wasn't ready to become a real kunoichi. The man usually doted on his daughter with a vengeance, but the worry and fear in his voice had shocked her. The man had stated that his daughter just didn't take the occupation seriously enough, that she didn't take care of her body by dieting too much. That she didn't take her kunoichi training seriously enough, spending too much time focusing on her crush on the Uchiha boy.

Those words had stunned and hurt the young Yamanaka, especially since they came from her own father, a man who normally couldn't so much as frown at his beloved daughter. She'd always believed that she was an excellent kunoichi in training. That she trained hard and did what was needed to become a true shinobi, but those words had forced her to start thinking. She remembered the times she'd skipped training either in class or at home to try and get a date with Sasuke. How she refused to eat so she wouldn't get fat and how her teachers had warned her it would prevent her from building up more of the necessary muscles that a shinobi needs.

In a nutshell, Ino Yamanaka had been forced to look at the direction her decisions had taken her, and she didn't like what she'd seen. That was the reason she wanted this reading, to help her decide what she should do. Looking up at her fellow blonde she gave him a nod to continue, which Naruto did. Flipping the next card, Naruto found the image of the Kyūbi staring back at him.

"The Emperor. A strong male figure in your life has offered or will offer you advice on how to deal with the doubts you're facing. Heed their words for they hold the strength of the truth." intoned the blonde.

Ino thought back on her father's words. How if his daughter wanted to be a real kunoichi she was going to need to get over the Uchiha and concentrate on being a real shinobi. Sure, there was no problem trying to find a bit of romance, but her training needed to come first. _'Guess I can't ask for a better sign to follow daddy's advice._' thought the platinum blonde, as she gave Naruto another nod to finish the reading. Naruto flipped the final card revealing a woman in traditional healer's robes standing with hands outstretched and glowing with light green energy.

"The Hierophant, this card represents faith. Have faith in yourself, in who you are, and you will be able to overcome any hardships that life throws at you." finished the blonde in a warmer tone than before, conveying his own feeling with the card's premonition.

Ino smiled at that one. She briefly wondered if Naruto had slipped that one in on his own just to cheer her up, or maybe his cards had picked up on his concern for her and responded to help. Either way it was a sweet gesture. "Thanks for the help, Naruto-kun." not even noticing she'd added the suffix.

Naruto shrugged. "Like I said before Ino-chan, what are friends for? If you need another reading, some advice, or just someone to talk to, you just have to ask." stated the blonde kindly.

Ino gave him another smile. "Thanks Naruto-kun, I appreciate it." she said, and before either knew what she was doing, Ino leaned down and gave the blonde a short peck on the cheek.

Both blondes were stunned for a moment before Ino quickly turned and headed back to her seat. _'Why did I just do that?'_ thought a thoroughly confused Ino. Luckily no one seemed to notice it since the classroom was still pretty empty.

'_Why did she just do that?'_ thought an equally confused Naruto. Both sat in silence, thinking of what had just happened until Iruka and Mizuki came walking in; both carrying sets of written exams for the first part of the Genin Exams. _'No time to think about that now.'_ thought the blonde seriously, _'got to focus on the test, weird thoughts about Ino can wait until later.'_ In her seat a few seats back and to the right Ino was having the same thoughts, only she blushed a little.

**_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_**

_(Meanwhile, the Hokage's Office)_

Sitting at his desk Hiruzen Sarutobi, also known as The Professor or the Shinobi no Kami (God of Shinobi), sat drinking a cup of tea, speaking with someone he'd come to consider a friend over the recent years, Theresa Casthania. The two had met through Naruto, and become close enough to consider each other friends. Whenever the woman came into town the two always found time to sit and talk over tea. Hiruzen personally enjoyed the company of the younger(?) woman. She was a font of wisdom and odd bits of lore, something the part of Sarutobi that had earned him the nickname the Professor appreciated.

"I do wish you'd consider moving into Konoha on a more permanent basis, Theresa." offered the elder Sarutobi as he sipped his tea. "It would certainly make young Naruto-kun much happier, though I'm sure he'd miss the stories of your journeys, along with the cards that come with them." he finished with a small smile.

Theresa gave a small sigh at that. "I know he would, and a part of me would enjoy it as well, but I'm a wanderer by my nature. I have been since I was a young girl." stated Theresa with a small grin.

"Oh really? And how long has that been?" asked Sarutobi curiously, trying to find out one of the greatest secrets surrounding the woman, her age. While she appeared no older than his own students, the way she spoke and carried herself showed the weight of years far beyond her appearance.

Theresa chuckled at that. "Now how many times must I remind you Sarutobi-kun, it's not polite to ask a woman her age. Even in such a roundabout fashion." she stated with a small smile while she wiggled a single admonishing finger at the Hokage who chuckled in response.

"What can I say Theresa-san, an old man's curiosity knows no limits." he stated with a shrug before he noticed the time. "It seems it's time for the Exams to begin. Shall we watch, and make sure nothing interferes with our grandson's exam?" he asked using an old joke the two shared since Naruto thought of both as grandparents. There were actually a few rumors circulating among the shinobi grapevine that the old kage and mysterious fortuneteller were romantically involved, but they were nothing but scuttlebutt. While Hiruzen greatly enjoyed Theresa's company, he was still loyal to the memory of his beloved wife Biwako.

"I believe that's a good idea. We need to make sure that Mizuki doesn't try anything again." agreed Theresa.

"I still can't believe that one of the instructors would attempt to actively sabotage Naruto's efforts." grumbled an angry Sarutobi. He had been royally pissed when Naruto had explained what had happened at the previous exams, but without any evidence there was nothing he could do.

"You forget how foolish hatred and fear can make people Sarutobi-kun." stated Theresa neutrally her voice retaining its calm tone, "Though I believe young Mizuki has some ulterior motive besides a simple hatred for the Kyūbi. I am simply glad Naruto now knows of his burden and can now protect himself from the foolishness of others."

"I still feel guilty about having him find out the way he did, I just didn't want him to have to carry that burden until he was forced to." stated Sarutobi sadly, remembering the blonde's reaction to finding out the fox was sealed inside him. The sadness and betrayal in the young blonde's eyes still haunted him at times.

"Your intentions were good Sarutobi-kun, if a bit naïve; but no one likes having secrets kept from them, particularly when those secrets involve them in some way. Even if they are kept with the best of intentions." stated Theresa sagely.

Sarutobi could only nod as they watched the testing begin.

_**~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~**_

**~CARD/JUTSU IDENTIFICATION~**

**The Shadow**: _The lone shadow of a man stands lays across a field of sleight gray, appearing as nothing more than another shadow, save that its eyes glow a pale, luminous yellow._ When activated this card allows its wielder to merge with and move within shadows. Excellent for hiding or for moving stealthily through darkened or shadowy areas. _Deck has 3 __3 Star_

**Oblivion**: _A single heart rests at the center of this card lying at rest on a field of white. Streaking across the card from all corners and wrapping around the heart are dozens of chains seemingly forged of pure shadows. At the center of the nest of shadowy chains that seem to bind the heart rest a dull gray padlock_. When this card is activated it creates a weapon of pure darkness. The weapon starts out as a sword but its form is completely fluid and capable of altering to suit its wielder's desires and needs. It draws on the negative emotions and desires in a person's heart and is extremely powerful. WARNING: Highly dangerous when activated since it draws out and feeds on negative emotions it can cause the wielder to go into a dark and maddened frenzy, killing everyone in a nearby area until the weapon draws out the wielder's own soul. Single-use. _Deck has 1 __5 Star_

**The Rebirth**: _A man stands divided. On the left he seems to be a robust young man, strong and fit, wearing the clothing of a Konoha shinobi. Though his face is slightly hidden, one can still see the large toothy grin on his face and the Konoha hitai-ate worn across its brow, half its design showing across the division. On the right lies a skeleton, its bony form garbed in the tattered remains of a Konoha ninja uniform. Its skull is bare, save the tattered remains of his hitai-ate, the metal pitted and rusty, and the large grin of the skull, perfectly mirroring the man's_. When activated this card revives a single person who has recently did. The time since passing is relative to the amount of chakra required to activate this card, ranging to the cost of an A-class jutsu for one who has died within the past hour to the cost of an S-class if they died within a day. Single-use. _Deck has 1 __5 Star_

_**~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~**_

**END CHAPTER 4**

**READ AND REVIEW**


	5. The First Test, Part II

**Naruto: A Seer's Fable**

**REVIEW RESPONSE**: (Due to scheduling complaints and overused efforts, Review Response will now only respond to those reviews that pose questions or have ideas. To everyone else that reviewed I thank you for your time and support).

_brrt_: Thank you for the praise. While Theresa isn't exactly my ideal version of a sympathetic character, I do believe she can be an excellent mentor-figure for our hero, even _if_, and that's _if_, it begun for some ulterior motives, just look at the results of Fable 2 and, somewhat 3, for her skill as a teacher. While I understand your concerns on the harem's size, I intend to have at least some character development for each girl. I don't like it when girls fall head over heels for the hero. A crush is a good way to start a relationship, but it needs more to develop further. I think I can do it justice if I take my time with it, and I'm in no rush. I don't expect any of my stories to end in less than 50 chapters; some may even stretch to 100 or more. I appreciate the opinion and hope I've eased some of your doubts.

deadkid23: Thanks, sorry for the spelling, spell-check doesn't catch everything, and I expect lengths to improve as the story progresses.

ZeroLink21: I'm actually in the process of looking for artists for most of my stories. I myself can't draw to save my life, but I can put idea to paper so someone else can bring it to life.

Force 'Hog: Actually the two questions are linked. The Elemental Nations are in fact Albion about a millennia or two after the end of Fable 3; this came because I noted the world map in F3 is pretty similar to the Naruto World Map. Some sort of calamity happened in the past that wiped out most of Albion's civilization, redeveloping to form the ninja-verse. That's why the monsters exist, they're a part of the world and have always existed, they're just a bit more remote now so most civilians think they're just stuff out of children's stories and old legends, experienced ninja know most, if not all, are real. For example a Hobbe Elimination would be roughly a C- or B-classed mission depending on the size of the warren while any mission that involves facing a Troll or Balverines would likely be B- or even A-class.

KitsuneNoYomeiri: Excellent ideas and the card descriptions are just a brief overview of what the cards can do, not the entire description.

Ryan L. Spradling: I don't know if the fox will 'friendly' but the two will have some sort of agreement.

DanteOtaku: Afraid I can't answer that just yet my friend, it would ruin the surprise.

the DragonBard: Thank you, I think, and while I agree The Fool would have matched our blonde hero as well, The Emperor represents his bond and connection to\the 'King' of the Biju as well as his great destiny.

dragonshaun09: Thanks, and it was inspired by Brim Wraith's Fate of the Cards fic.

fanofmany: Really? My story has barely begun, and I haven't even mentioned the world outside Konoha's walls. If you're talking about the original story, then you must remember this is fanfiction, the world is what we make of it.

markami: I appreciate the ideas. The idea behind the Greed card is that the explosion is delayed, so a greedy individual who tries to pick up or pocket a gem or coin will likely get their hand blown off. Your idea for Lust is amusing, and humiliating for the target, I doubt I'd be able to use it seriously in a fight, just way, _way_ too embarrassing. I do like your ideas for War and Sloth, but War would be a little too dangerous, putting the user at just as much risk as the target, and I've read of a C-ranked jutsu that does the same as Sloth, though I may use it for a different card.

"Human Speech"

'_Human Thought'_

**"Demon/Summons Speech"**

**'_Demon/Summons Thought'_**

**Jutsu **or _Card_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Fable, or anything other than my own original ideas for this story**

**_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX _**

**Chapter 5: The First Test, Part II**

"Alright everyone." explained Mizuki as he stood in front of the class, "We'll be starting the Exam in just a few minutes. The first test will be a written exam." he said patting the stack of papers resting on the desk behind him. "You'll have two hours to finish all one hundred questions. After that we'll head outside for a brief break so everyone can stretch their legs before beginning your Taijutsu exam. Each of you will be facing me in a spar while Iruka monitors and times us. You'll have to either last five minutes with me without suffering a serious hit, which will be judged by Iruka, or score a critical blow on me. Don't worry I'll be holding back. After that we'll proceed to the target range in the academy building. You'll be issued ten shuriken and ten kunai each and you'll be graded on the accuracy of your total score. You'll also have the option of earning some extra credit after you're done. You can choose a third weapon, which you can either acquire from the Academy storeroom or bring with you, as long as Iruka and I approve, and test your accuracy with that one to boost your score. Then we'll break for lunch before finishing with the ninjutsu exam. You'll need to perform the following jutsu effectively in order to pass: **Henge no Jutsu** (Transformation Technique), **Kawarimi no Jutsu **(Body Replacement Technique), and **Bunshin no Jutsu **(Clone Technique). After finishing the ninjutsu portion, your grades for all four portions will be tallied and you will either receive your hitai-ate or fail. Does everyone understand?"

A small chorus of "Yes!", "Hai!", and a loud "Believe it!" from our favorite fortune teller answered Mizuki's question.

"Good to hear. Then let's get started." stated Iruka has he picked up his stack of papers and started handing them out while Mizuki did the same on the opposite end of the class, Iruka handing Naruto his. As Mizuki finished handing out his tests to the top row and started down the stairs he 'accidently' dropped a pen from his pocket. As he bent down to pick up the dropped writing utensil his hands quickly flashed through a hidden set of seals before picking up the pen, and continuing down the stairs to his target's location.

Reaching out a hand to affectionately pat the blonde's shoulder Mizuki gave a false, warm smile. "Good luck today, Naruto. Iruka and I are both rooting for you." he said happily, while he felt his genjutsu take effect. It was a pretty low-level genjutsu, but an effective one for the situation, which targeted the subject's visual perception. It would basically scramble the numbers on the brat's test so even if he did know the right answer he'd put it in the wrong spot, and the best part of it was that it was so subtle that no normal Genin would notice it. The only problem was that it required physical contact to activate successfully. The man had spent the better part of the past two years cozying up to the fox brat and his soft-hearted imbecile of a co-worker for just such an occasion.

Naruto had to hide his smirk. The idiot was indeed trying the same tricks as last year, only this time Naruto was prepared. Last year after his failure he'd gone to Theresa after seeing his test, and asked the woman what could have happened. When asked if he'd felt anything odd, he did remember feeling a slight…surge was probably the best word he could use, of something when Mizuki had touched his shoulder to wish him luck before the test. This had led to him, bāchan, and Ojīsan to discover another of the boy's hidden talents. He was a sensor; or to be more precise, he had the talent to become a sensor.

Sensors, also known as _Kanchi taipu_ (Perception types), are shinobi with the ability to detect and perceive chakra. Sensors required both a natural talent and specialized training in order to fully utilize their abilities; one could not train to become a sensor without a natural ability and even a natural prodigy couldn't fully utilize their abilities without some degree of training. Some shinobi believed that sensor abilities could be classified as a type of kekkai genkai for this reason, and the fact that it seemed to be passed down genetically supported that claim. However, with the wide diffusion of sensors among the different nations and villages, and some appearing among civilians without any ninja backgrounds, actually proving that it was a genetic trait capable of being counted as a bloodline proved impossible. Konoha was quite well known for the sheer number of sensors it possessed; four of the village's main shinobi clans had at least some degree of sensor abilities. The Aburame clan's kikaichū could hone in on chakra signals and signatures, the Inuzuka clan and their Ninken companions could literally smell chakra, the Byakugan of the Hyūga clan allowed their user's to physically see chakra, and the Yamanaka clan was also known to be able to detect the flow of other's mental energy due to their special ninjutsu, allowing for some to develop sensor abilities. The village also possessed a large number of sensors that weren't aligned with any of the major clans and were either from lesser shinobi families or simply emerging from the civilian populace. As far as anyone knew, Naruto fell into that final sector.

Each sensor detected chakra in a unique way. The Aburame felt it through their connection with their insects, the Inuzuka through their noses, the Hyūga through sight, and the Yamanaka through mental awareness. For Naruto, he could 'feel' chakra as it flowed around him, particularly when it was focused to perform a jutsu or technique. When asked to describe how the chakra felt, he often said that normally it felt like bits of string or cloth brushing against his brain and when the chakra was being focused it felt like the strings were being knotted or woven together. For the past year a lot of his training had focused on mastering his newest talent. Luckily, with Konoha's large population of sensors it was pretty easy for the boy to get the proper instruction with the Hokage's assistance. Several of his personal bodyguards were sensor and the old man had instructed one of them, a man named Aoba Yamashiro. The boy could now detect the presence of other chakra sources within a five hundred foot radius of himself, and that range nearly doubled if they were preparing a jutsu. Although he still wasn't skilled enough to precisely determine exact chakra levels or nature, he was able to determine if the presence was animal, civilian, shinobi, or something else, and he could even tell the rough level of a shinobi's aura, whether they have Genin, Chūnin, or Jounin level reserves. Bāchan had even taught him a sensor-technique that would allow him to expand his sensor abilities when he needed to.

Naruto had easily felt Mizuki weaving his little genjutsu right behind him and when the traitorous instructor had placed his hand on his shoulder he felt the jutsu take effect. Giving Mizuki his best smile the blonde gave the man a thumb's up. "Believe it Mizuki-sensei! I won't make the same stupid mistakes as last year." he said cheerfully, before adding, _'Like trusting you.'_ as a quick afterthought.

Mizuki gave the blonde another false smile before heading down the stairs. While he and Iruka had their backs turned Naruto slid his hand beneath his desk and formed a ram seal. "**Kai**." breathed out the blonde as he surged his chakra, dispelling the genjutsu. Dispelling a genjutsu was no different than dispelling one of his active cards; you just had to break the connection by either cutting off the chakra, or overloading it with a sudden surge.

As soon as both teachers were at the front Iruka looked at the clock on the wall and stated, "You can begin…now!"

With the ruffling of many pages the first part of the Genin exams had begun.

**_~~~ XXXXXX ~~~_**

It didn't take Naruto long to finish the first part of the exams, the questions were basically the same as the last two years, and he'd been able to answer all of those on his first attempt if he hadn't been actively trying to fail. While Naruto wasn't a genius, he wasn't nearly as stupid as most believed. It took him a little less than an hour to answer all the questions accurately enough. He made sure not to get them all exactly right, that would raise suspicions about him cheating if he suddenly got a perfect score in what was supposed to be one of his worst areas, but he also made sure that his answers were more than enough to get him a passing grade by even the strictest instructor. Now came the slightly difficult part, he had to get the test to Iruka-sensei when he wasn't grading other papers without letting Mizuki get his hands on it. He wasn't sure if Mizuki had the balls to actually change his answers or falsify his grade, but he wasn't about to take any chances. So he sat, pretending to work on one question or another, and waited for the right moment.

That moment came a little less than a half-hour later, about fifty minutes after the test began. Iruka had just finished grading one of the earlier turn-ins while Mizuki was patrolling, checking for signs of cheating. Mizuki was in the perfect spot, on the other side of the classroom from Naruto so the man couldn't try to intercept the blonde without looking suspicious. Scribbling in the final part of the answer he was pretending to work on the blonde stood up and raced down the stairs before placing the paper right in front of Iruka, who was just about to stand up and join Mizuki in his patrols.

Iruka looked at his favorite student, who was grinning widely at him, and asked, "Everything go okay, no 'complications?'"

Naruto merely continued to grin. "Nothing I couldn't handle." he answered smugly.

Iruka nodded his head and dismissed his student to join everyone else outside before sitting back down and started to grade the exam.

When Mizuki came down the steps several minutes later, Iruka was just finishing grading the exam and putting Naruto's score, 87 out of 100, in the score book for the exams. When he saw the grade Mizuki's face twisted into an expression that was parts confused, angry, and worried. _'Damn it!' _mentally cursed the traitorous instructor. _'How the hell did the brat get a decent score? Not only did I place that genjutsu on him, but I've been feeding him slightly falsified information for over two years now! Did Iruka alter the grade? No, Iruka's too much of a straight-laced, goody two-shoes to ever cheat, even for his 'favorite student." _thought Mizuki with more than a slight hint of disgust. How Iruka managed to get attached to the damned demon brat he'd never know.

Noticing his friend and coworker's unusual expression, Iruka asked, "Are you okay Mizuki?"

Mizuki quickly turned his expression back to his false smile and replied, "Yeah, I'm just relieved, and a little surprised, that Naruto did so well on the written exam. He's never been that good at bookwork before." lied the instructor. He was tempted to accuse the brat of cheating, but didn't want to blow his friendly cover with the brat if word got out. He needed the gaki to trust him for his plan to work out.

Iruka nodded his head. "Well you know Naruto, he's always been full of surprises." he offered with a small chuckle. Mizuki forced himself to chuckle as well, while mentally planning his next move and cursing getting stuck with a demon-lover as his coworker.

**_~~~ XXXXX ~~~_**

A little less than an hour later, the entire class was gathered at the Taijutsu sparring ring. The ring was pretty simple, nothing more than a circle with the edge dug deeply into the ground and lined with smooth paving stones to mark the perimeter. The only thing to separate it from any other sparing ring was its sheer size; it had a radius of about 30ft on any side. The size was an intentional design since most shinobi battles took place over large areas. Several Academy teachers were trained in different Jutsu designed to alter the terrain in some ways to help the students learn to fight in different environments and circumstances. Today the ring was an empty field of grass, a field to purely test the student's taijutsu abilities without using the environment.

Naruto was currently sitting against one of several trees that surrounded the sparring ring. The spars were going in alphabetical order so he'd be one of the last ones to go, so he decided it would be best to wait and conserve his energy for the fight to come and watch the others fight. The way the test was designed each student would face Mizuki in the sparring ring while Iruka took notes. The scores were based on how long the student lasted, how many and what kind of hits they scored, and how many hits they actually received, blocked, or dodged. A critical strike ended the match and the person's score was determined. Lasting through the entire time without receiving a critical hit was an automatic pass, with the full score determined by the other factors, and landing a critical hit on Mizuki was an automatic perfect score.

As he sat and watched the other spars, his mind went back to last year's attempt. Mizuki had taken him out before the second minute had ended. The traitorous instructor had allowed the fight to go on as normal for the entirety of the first minute, only to strike with a sudden and brutal blow to the blonde's stomach halfway through the second minute after getting extremely close to the blonde. Naruto had seen the attack coming but the man had struck a lot faster than he had before, taking the blonde by surprise. Naruto guessed the Mizuki had stopped holding back just long enough to land that single blow. With everything else that happened that day, it didn't take a genius to figure out that Mizuki was trying to sabotage him.

Now Naruto had to deal with him again. Granted last time he wasn't prepared for the attack and was holding back, but Mizuki was still a Chūnin-class shinobi and Naruto would be the first to admit that Taijutsu wasn't his forte; it was probably one of his weakest skill areas along with genjutsu. While baa-chan and Iruka-sensei had both helped him a lot in perfecting and training with the Academy Basic style, he knew that the basic style alone wasn't' enough to win against real opponents. The Academy Basic style was an introductory style designed to give students a basic groundwork in future taijutsu studies. Most Jounin senseis either taught their students their own style or offered scrolls and other instruction in unique styles in order to allow their students to develop their own taijutsu. Physically, Naruto could hold his own in a fight; the blonde was remarkably fast and agile and had more stamina than most Chūnin and some Jounin. The blonde was also deceptively strong despite his lean appearance.

The field itself had its advantages and disadvantages for him. The clear field would allow him to move and dodge with a much wider area without having to worry about being backed in a corner, but the lack of obstacles also left him without a lot of defensive options as well. _'My best bet will be to keep my distance, keep my defenses up, and just wait for time to run out. With any luck I'll be able to keep Mizuki from getting any surprise hits on me like last time and maybe even get a chance to land a solid counterattack.'_ thought the blonde as he stood up and stretched when "Uchiha, Sasuke" was called for his match.

About three and a half minutes later Sasuke was declared the winner via critical hit with a vicious uppercut to Mizuki's jaw. As the Uchiha left the field, Iruka quickly called out, "Uzumaki, Naruto." and the blonde stepped into the ring. Both got into positions roughly ten feet apart, Naruto falling into a loose, defensive stance while Mizuki got into a more balanced stance. "Hajime!" called Iruka as he started his timer.

After a few moments of trying to stare each other down, Mizuki made the first move. The Chūnin charged in and threw a vicious jab directly at the blondes face. Naruto quickly jumped back avoiding the blow and keep his distance. Mizuki soon followed, launching a barrage of blows while Naruto continued to dodge and avoid, keeping Mizuki at a distance where he couldn't get any power behind his strikes or launch any overpowered attacks without Iruka noticing. After over a full minute of this Naruto saw an opening, Mizuki threw another straight punch at him, but instead of jumping backwards, Naruto quickly sidestepped and launched a palm strike to Mizuki's open side. It wasn't enough to count as a critical hit, but it hurt like hell. Mizuki quickly rolled to the side to get some distance and lessen the impact of the blow, before coming to a halt and getting into a crouching stance a good distance away from the blonde. Naruto quickly fell back into his defensive stance, while slowly moving to reposition himself at the center of the ring as Iruka called the two minute mark.

While Mizuki's appearance remained mostly calm, inside the Chūnin was seething. _'How the hell did the damn demon brat get this good!?' _mentally hissed the instructor_. 'He's a lot faster than he's ever been in his spars before, his hits definitely pack more of a punch, and his stance is nearly perfect. Did he make some deal with the devil to get this good or was he faking it before? DAMN IT!'_ mentally roared the enraged instructor as he launched forward in another fierce barrage.

Naruto continued to dodge and evade, his body moving quickly and agilely to keep out of Mizuki's reach. The Chūnin instructor threw a vicious hook at the blonde who ducked under it and countered with a low sweeping kick to knock the instructor off his feet. Mizuki quickly jumped back and over the blow before launching leaping forward with a vicious hammer blow, only for the blonde to quickly backflip out of the way to launch a swing kick at the instructor exposed shoulder mid-flip. Mizuki hissed in pain as Iruka chimed in the three minute mark.

Mizuki was losing all of his patience by now; he knew he had to end this now if he wanted to have any chance of the brat failing this portion of the exam. The chūnin quickly developed a sinister grin before charging forward. Launching a low roundhouse kick to cover his movements, he performed a single handsign and hissing, "**Doton: Nanjakujiban**! (Earth Release: Soft Earth)," under his breath and slamming his palms into the earth, disguising the motion as using his hands to propel him into a flip-kick aimed at the blonde's head. The blonde dodged the strike, but Mizuki quickly recovered and continued his assault while pushing his target toward his trap.

Naruto instantly felt the knotting of Mizuki's chakra as he created the jutsu and set his guard up for whatever the instructor had planned. His preparations paid off when, as he moved backward to dodge another strike, the ground beneath the blonde's right foot instantly collapsed, forcing the blonde off balance as Mizuki dove in to deliver a powerful haymaker to finish this fight. If Naruto hadn't been on alert he'd have been too surprised to do anything and the match would have ended. Luckily, the blonde's alert status and years of reflex training saved him. Instead of fighting the fall, which was his first instinct, the blonde tilted his weight, controlling the fall rather than preventing it and allowing him to dodge Mizuki's attack. Before Mizuki could recover his balance from the over-extended strike, the blonde launched forward, regaining his feet and launching a brutal vertical kick directly at the man's jaw, connecting and sending the man flying a few feet backward before he landed on his back.

Before Mizuki could regain his senses and get back up he heard Iruka blow his whistle. "That's enough! Winner by critical hit is Naruto Uzumaki. Good work Naruto."

"Thanks Iruka-sensei, and sorry about the kick Mizuki-sensei, but when the ground collapsed beneath my foot, I just sorta' acted on instinct." apologized the blonde, though the smirk on his face spoke of very little sincerity in that apology.

"That's alright Naruto-kun. Nice kick by the way, very powerful." returned Mizuki as he got up and rubbed his throbbing jaw, all the while internally cursing the damned fox brat.

"I wonder why the ground collapsed like that?" wondered Iruka aloud as he checked the hole, making sure the ground was stable enough that it wouldn't interfere with the rest of the fights.

"Maybe you should have the ground checked for _moles_ or something." offered the blonde with the slightest hint of a smirk.

"That might be a good idea, remind me to ask the groundskeeper to call someone tomorrow." agreed Iruka before he turned to the remainder of the class and called out the next name.

**_~~~ XXXXXX ~~~_**

A little less than a half-hour later we find the entirety of the class gathered in the subterranean target room. The room was large and rectangular, stretching out about 90ft in length and 50ft wide (the size of a regulation basketball court), of mostly clear floor space. The room functioned not only as a target range for the shinobi in training practicing with kunai and shuriken, but also as the school's gymnasium when it was necessary to hold physical training classes indoors, though some teachers insisted on holding those classes outside unless the weather was severely bad to help toughen students to some of the trials they'd face if they became shinobi. The only features were the stairs that led into the subterranean room along one end, and the targets along the other, with a few doors to adjacent storage rooms along the walls stretching between them. The targets were interchangeable, being swapped out based on the course and training program using the field, and were currently holding several wooden training dummies with the vital areas highlighted with red, yellow, and blue paint.

The way the test was run each student received ten shots with each of his two weapons and the scores were calculated by where they hit. Hitting a red point, which would be an instant kill on a normal person, earned five points, yellow points, which were severe hits that would cause intensive bleeding or other major injuries, were worth 4 points, blue points, which weren't as damaging but were still excellent targets like joints, were 3 points, and hitting just the dummy's wooden surface was worth 1 or 2 points, depending on how close they were to red or yellow points.

Naruto was one of the first to enter the room, playing the part of the eager student as he approached Iruka to get his brace of ten kunai and shuriken. While he doubted Mizuki would try something as blatant as giving him rigged weapons, it never hurt to be cautious. Target practice was one of the blonde's best subjects, one of the few areas he allowed himself to openly excel at during his shinobi training at the Academy, so he actually wanted to get the high score on this one. He also knew that Mizuki couldn't try and sabotage this area of his test too badly, since Iruka or the Hokage would notice if he suddenly failed in his 'best' course, but with the way that Mizuki-teme's attempts were going so far, he wasn't quite sure what the silver-haired Chūnin would try, after all desperation made people do stupid things.

Mizuki was currently having similar thoughts as he watched the other students make their attempts with their weapons as Iruka tallied their marks. He knew he was running out of options and if the plan was going to go like he hoped he needed the blonde brat to fail. He only had this test and the Ninjutsu test left. Messing with the brat's score on this one too much would definitely alert Iruka and even the Hokage that something was happening and any suspicions on either of their parts could cause him some major trouble. The best he could do was fudge the brat's scores on this test a little and hopefully find a way to fail him completely on the Ninjutsu test. Luckily, if someone completely failed one of the four tests they couldn't graduate under normal circumstances.

So as Naruto's name was called once again, Mizuki made his move. Sending out a set of invisible chakra wires he connected each of his fingers to one of the target dummies. The chakra wires were loosely based on Suna puppet techniques, allowing the user to manipulate objects from a distance. It wasn't the perfect control puppet-masters had over their weapons, instead it was closer to a rough version of telekinesis than puppet mastery, allowing the user to move and manipulate the object through broad strokes rather than the precise control puppet masters favored. Still, with the proper timing he could make the puppets move just before they got hit, making it look like they were shuddering from the impact, and keep his target from scoring any perfect hits.

Naruto had felt Mizuki create his chakra threads but wasn't sure what he was planning. Deciding to test it before actually starting the serious exam, Naruto took one of his kunai and aimed it for the narrow red line that represented the heart surrounded by a yellow area striped with thin strips of red representing the ribs and lungs. It _should_ have been a perfect hit, but just before it hit the puppet jerked slightly to the right, causing it to sink into the surrounding yellow area. Someone who didn't know any better would have attributed it to the momentum of the kunai hitting the target, but Naruto knew better. One of Theresa-bāchan's key points in training was making the blonde as perceptive as humanly possible. He'd always been blessed with extremely sharp senses, thanks to him being the holder of the Kyūbi no Yōko, and his baa-chan's training had sharpened them to a razor's edge. He saw the dummy twitch just a second before his kunai hit.

'_So that's Mizuki's game this time?'_ internally smirked the blonde. _'Neat trick, but I wonder if he can move them in different ways.'_ With that thought the blonde drew his next kunai and launched it at the same spot on the next target dummy, only angling the throw just enough to the right, so if the dummy twitched in the same way it would be a perfect hit. As predicted, the dummy twitched in the exact same way and the kunai sunk perfectly in the red area.

'_Okay, Mizuki-teme can only make them twitch in that one direction; that makes things easier. Now I've just got to go through this before he realizes I'm onto him.'_ confirmed the blonde as he withdrew the rest of his kunai and launched them in rapid succession, each aimed slightly to the right of the red area he was targeting. Mizuki's fingers twitched in rapid synchrony, moving just before his target's kunai made their hit. The silver-haired instructor didn't even have time to notice until after it was over that each of the blonde's kunai were sunk into the red areas of the wood.

'_DAMMIT!'_ mentally screeched the Chūnin. _'How did he do that? He must have thought his aim was off with that first throw and started compensating for it. Better disengage the jutsu. With any luck he'll continue compensating and mess up his shuriken test on his own.'_ decided the instructor as he disengaged his chakra threads, not even realizing that Naruto sensed the release of the jutsu.

"Okay that's 49 out of 50 for kunai, shame about that first throw. If you'd gotten it right you'd have gotten a perfect score." stated Iruka.

Naruto shrugged. "Must have been a bad throw, it happens to the best of us." stated the blonde casually as he drew out his shuriken. With quick and deadly precision the blonde launched his shuriken in a rapid flurry, not wanting to give his less scrupulous teacher a chance to reengage his jutsu. Each of the flying shuriken hit its target in a bright red area, marking a critical hit.

Iruka whistled, "50 out of 50 for shuriken, and that was some impressive speed as well." praised Iruka as he scratched down the final score. "Alright Naruto if you want you can attempt some extra credit now by using a third thrown weapon. Each hit is only worth 3 points if you hit red, 2 for yellow, and 1 for blue, and you only get half your total. You want to give it a try?"

Naruto nodded his head. "Sure." agreed the blonde with a large grin.

Iruka nodded his head. "So what do you want to use? We have senbon and several other throwing weapons stored in the back if you don't have anything on you." asked Iruka, but the man suspected he already knew what the blonde was planning on using.

"If it's alright with you sensei, I'll be using," with a flip of his wrists five playing cards appeared in each of his hands, unsheathed from the decks he stored in wrist-mounted sheaths, "these." he finished with a slight grin.

Several students started chuckling and some outright laughed at the display. "What are you going to do? Beat the training dummies at a game of poker." shouted one of them.

Naruto ignored the echoes of the peanut gallery; he knew they'd change their tune in a minute, while Iruka called for silence. "Well I don't see any problem, do you Mizuki?" questioned Iruka.

Mizuki was curious about what the brat was planning and decided the brat couldn't possibly make it worse. "I don't see why not." he agreed with a shrug.

"Alright then." agreed Iruka.

Naruto smirked as he quickly twisted and launched his favorite weapons at a single target, all at once. The results left several students with their jaws nearly touching the floor and Mizuki staring in wide-eyed disbelief. The ten cards were each stuck deeply in a red wooden area. Six filled the narrow strips between the ribs that would indicate passing through the ribcage and slicing through the lungs while a seventh quivered in the heart, one was jammed into the soft part of the throat, cutting through several arteries and severing the windpipe, and the final two dotted the face, one corner through each eye.

Iruka cleared his throat, "That's 30 out of 30 for the bonus portion giving you a total of 15 bonus points to bring your new total to 114." announced a slightly smug Iruka before he called out the next student.

Naruto simply went back to his classmates and enjoyed the stunned silence. While it was important to hide his true skills, it just felt so good to show off from time to time.

**_~~~ XXXXXX ~~~_**

Mizuki was seething as he walked around the Academy after Iruka dispatched the students for lunch, reminding them to return to the main classroom in one hour for the final segment of the test. As soon as he entered a dark corner outside the Academy building a voice suddenly appeared behind him.

"Something wrong Mizuki-kun?" questioned the voice softly.

Mizuki started briefly as the sibilant voice of his contact and immediate superior seemed to whisper in his ear before calming down. The man slowly turned around to stare at his contact. As always the face he saw was different than the one he'd seen before, this time appearing as a teenager with silver hair and glasses. His main contact to his master made it a habit of alternating through dozens of different faces and disguises every time they met and he still wasn't sure which, if any, was the real one. "It's the Kyūbi brat. Somehow the damned brat's either lucked or tricked his way out of every trap I've set for him. If I can't get him to fail the Ninjutsu portion of the exam our plan will be ruined." he reported angrily.

The young man, or at least the person pretending to be a young man, raised an admonishing finger and waved it in front of Mizuki's face while speaking jovially, "Not our plan Mizuki-kun, _your_ plan. You're only goal is to get the scroll, how you do so is solely up to you, and I will not have my name dragged down due to your incompetence. _Understood_." the man finished in a low, threatening hiss, radiating killer intent at the Chūnin.

"H-hai." gulped out the now frightened instructor.

"Good." grinned the man, his mood once again doing a complete 180, "Now as for your little fox problem, I think I have just the solution." the man then reached into his pocket and removed two objects, a small glass vial filled with white powder and a small cloth parcel holding two small pills. "Mix the powder in with some liquid and make sure the boy drinks it. It should destroy whatever chakra control the boy possesses long enough for him to fail the exam. The pills are just in case you get into trouble retrieving the scroll, but use them only as a last resort." instructed the man.

"Understood." nodded Mizuki as he slipped the pills into a hidden pocket in his chūnin vest and the powder into his pocket.

"Good." agreed the spy before he turned and prepared to leave, before stopping. "And do remember Mizuki-kun. Lord Orochimaru is generous to those who please him, but doesn't tolerate failure in any shape or form." he added in a frighteningly calm tone. With that said the apparently young shinobi disappeared in a swirl of leaves

Mizuki could only gulp and pray that his plans worked out.

**_~~~ XXXXXX ~~~_**

A bit less than an hour later Naruto was once again sitting in the classroom playing solitaire. He'd enjoyed a quick lunch, a home-made bento he'd made himself, and then meditated until the break was over. Now he sat and tried to burn some time playing solitaire while the first of his classmates were called into the next room to take their Ninjutsu test. He was considering asking Chōji, Shikamaru, and Shino if they were up for a game of poker while they waited after the Akimichi got back from his test when he noticed as the door slid open and Mizuki walked in carrying a tray of water bottles for the students. As Mizuki began passing the bottles around the seats Naruto noticed that his hands kept circling around one bottle in particular.

When Mizuki arrived next to Naruto's desk the man's hand quickly sought out the bottle he'd been avoiding during his ascension. "Here you go Naruto, make sure to keep yourself hydrated. Wouldn't want you to fail the final test because you were too thirsty to concentrate on your jutsu." stated Mizuki with a large, overly pleasant grin.

'_Could you be any more obvious Mizuki-teme?'_ thought the blonde sarcastically as he reached for the bottle. _'I wonder what he slipped into it?' _thought the blonde curiously_, 'I doubt its anything lethal, that would get him caught too quickly. Probably something to mess with my concentration or chakra control so I'll bomb the Ninjutsu portion of the exam.'_ With that the blond brought the bottle to his lips and pretended to take a short sip, while keeping his lips and mouth pursed shut, before lowering the bottle and wiping his arm against his mouth to make sure none of the tainted water entered his system. "Thanks Mizuki-sensei, but I just finished a bottle of milk during lunch so I'm not that thirsty." he said with a large grin.

Mizuki was wondering how much the brat would have to drink for the stuff to take effect. "That's fine Naruto; just make sure to keep yourself hydrated while you wait for the test to start. You're near the end so you'll probably have to wait for a while." he said cheerfully as he turned and left.

The wait was indeed a long one since not only did the students have to perform the three academy jutsu, but they also had to wait for their scores to be tallied by Iruka and Mizuki before deciding whether they passed or failed. It took a little over two hours for Naruto's name to be called. Every time Mizuki came in to call for the next student he'd glance over at Naruto to see if he'd drunken anymore out of his water bottle. Naruto took advantage of this and slowly emptied his bottle out of the window next to his seat when no one was looking, pretending to drink it slowly and steadily. Naruto could see the excited gleam in Mizuki's eye as he called his name and he went down the steps and tossed his empty water bottle into the trash.

As the two entered the testing room Mizuki took his seat behind the desk next to Iruka while Naruto stood in front.

"Alright Naruto, to start we'll test your **Henge no Jutsu**. First please transform into either myself or Mizuki." instructed Iruka.

Naruto nodded and performed the necessary trio of handseals before proclaiming "**Henge no Jutsu**!" and erupting in a plume of smoke. When the smoke cleared a near-perfect copy of Mizuki stood in the blonde's place.

Mizuki and Iruka got off their seats, Mizuki standing next to Naruto so Iruka could easily compare them. "Very good Naruto, the hair shade is slightly off, but otherwise perfect." stated Iruka calmly as he made a few marks on his scoreboard.

Naruto smirked, last year he'd transformed into Iruka and Mizuki had taken a lot of points off for several 'minor details,' the length of his hair, the design of the scar, etc.

As the two instructors returned to their seat Iruka spoke again, "Alright now you have a free transformation. Please transform into someone one of us may identify so we can grade.

Naruto did as instructed and once again performed the technique, and when the smoke cleared Ayame Ichiraku stood in her waitress uniform. "Hey Iruka-kun, hope you're ready for some of my _special_ ramen tonight." stated the blonde in Ayame's voice before giggling seductively.

Iruka's hand instantly clamped over his nose to prevent a severe nosebleed at the innuendo of the blonde pretending to be his fiancé. "Haha, very funny Naruto." grumbled the teacher as he approached the henged blonde to check the transformation. Mizuki remained seated since he didn't know the ramen waitress enough to inspect it thus Iruka would be forced to handle it alone. Inside he was cursing the blonde, this was twice he'd been prevented from deducting points in an area where the teacher's personal perspective was most important.

As Iruka continued to examine the false Ayame, he/she gave a slight squeal and said, "Please stop staring Iruka-kun, you're making me blush."

Iruka once again blushed and was forced to hold in a nosebleed, but he finished his examination and gave the blonde full marks for the transformation. As he returned to the desk, Naruto dispelled the transformation. "Alright next you'll need to perform a **Kawarimi no Jutsu **with one object in this room, you'll be graded on the speed and distance of the replacement." instructed Mizuki.

Naruto nodded his head and waited for Iruka to start his timer, when Iruka pressed the button Naruto was quickly engulfed in a puff of smoke and replaced with a chair. Looking around both teachers found Naruto standing on the third row back of seats.

Iruka nodded his head in approval. "Excellent speed on the jutsu Naruto, and pretty good distance as well." he stated as he scratched down a few more notes before continuing, "Now for the final section I need you to create at least two _Bunshin_ (Clones)."

Naruto nodded his head once more, but instead of performing handseals he reached into his large side-deck of cards and ran his finger swiftly over the top while channeling a bit of chakra to the tip of his finger while focusing on the image of the card he wanted. Instantly as his finger touched the card it shot up and stuck itself to his finger. It was a technique bāchan had taught him so he could quickly draw cards in battle.

Pulling out the chosen card, Naruto quickly brought it up to his head and began channeling chakra into it. After a moment he threw it to the ground while calling out, "_The Brothers_!" causing a large explosion of smoke to enshroud the blonde. When the smoke cleared, where once stood a single Naruto, there now stood six identical copies surrounding the original in various poses.

"WHAT THE HELL?" screamed Mizuki as he looked at the clones.

"I'll explain Mizuki, Naruto's has a lot more chakra than normal, so instead of performing a regular Bunshin technique he used a more advanced technique." explained Iruka.

"I see…but the rules are quite clear. I'm sorry Naruto, but since you didn't complete the academy designated jutsu you fail." apologized Mizuki, while inside he was sporting a rather nasty grin.

"What are you talking about Mizuki? The academy rules clearly states that substitutions to the regular Bunshin jutsu are allowed as long as the instructed amount of clones are produced." asked Iruka.

"R-really?" questioned the instructor; annoyed that Iruka was interfering with his plans again. "I guess I must have misread that rule, sorry Naruto." apologized the traitor while he bit back his rage. It was taking everything he had not to lash out and kill the two nit-wits who were ruining his plans.

"It's cool, Mizuki-sensei. We all make mistakes." stated a grinning blonde.

"Glad to hear it." forced out Mizuki behind his false grin. "Now give me and Iruka a moment to tally your score."

It didn't take long for the score to be tallied; Naruto had done extremely well on all four portions of the exam. He wouldn't be getting rookie of the year, but his score was easily in the top ten.

"Congratulations Naruto, you've graduated." stated Iruka happily as he handed Naruto his hitai-ate. Naruto took the metal plate and chose a black bandana from the nearby table and strung it through before placing the ornament proudly across his forehead and heading back to the classroom.

**_~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~_**

_(Hokage's Office, sometime later)_

"I'm glad Naruto was able to handle Mizuki without our interference." stated Sarutobi as he deactivated his crystal ball as Iruka began his standard graduation speech to the class.

"Agreed, it's good to know he's able to stand quite strongly on his own two feet without either of us there to hold his hand. He'll need to be able to stand on his own in the trials that will come ahead." agreed Theresa sagely.

"So your visions of coming conflict surrounding young Naruto still persist?" asked the Hokage gravely, while the man was not overly superstitious, the accuracy of Theresa's visions and predictions could not be denied.

"Yes, and they grow clearer by the day. I fear that war and danger are on the horizon and our grandson will be caught at its center." stated Theresa calmly

The Hokage nodded his head as he returned to his seat. Deciding to change the subjects he stated, "No point worrying about things we can't yet change. Do you have any suggestions to who young Naruto's sensei should be? Hatake Kakashi has expressed a great interest in having the boy placed on his team should he graduate."

"I can see why. The boy does hold a strong resemblance to the man's late sensei." stated Theresa in her usual calm tone, though the barest hint of a smile was evident on her lips.

That left Sarutobi speechless. _'Does she know?'_ he questioned himself worriedly. Only he and Jiraiya knew for a fact, but several others, Kakashi included, suspected it at least.

His question was answered for him as Theresa chuckled. "It's quite obvious for someone like me, but you needn't worry Sarutobi-kun. Naruto's secret is safe with me. While I do not like keeping secrets from the boy, this one is not mine to give away, but I should warn you against holding it off for too long. One broken secret nearly destroyed Naruto's faith in you. I do not know what a second will do." finished Theresa seriously, her sightless eyes staring at aged kage.

The elderly Hokage nodded his head. Theresa made a valid point, and he knew he had to be careful of how he revealed it to his foster grandson. The fox's secret had nearly destroyed the bond the two had shared and Sarutobi still doubted if it had ever been fully mended.

"As for young Kakashi, I do not believe he will be a suitable sensei. The boy's intentions are good, but he is too lost in the past to fully live in the present with Naruto-kun. There is also the fact that I'm sure the council will wish him train young Sasuke as well?" Sarutobi nodded his head. "There is a good deal of bad blood between Naruto and Sasuke, particularly after Naruto-kun gave him a reading he didn't particularly enjoy. I'd suggest a different teacher, perhaps as an apprenticeship rather than a normal team."

"Who do you have in mind?" questioned Sarutobi curiously, Theresa's advice had always proven worth listening to.

"Anko Mitarashi." stated Theresa calmly. "The two have much in common, both hated and scorned for things beyond their control. I'm quite sure young Anko-chan would be good for Naruto-kun and help him reach his full potential. Naruto-kun will also be good for Anko, helping her open up a bit to others and trust a little easier."

Sarutobi leaned back and smoked his pipe for a bit. Theresa made a valid point, the two were quite similar and would help each other grow in more ways than one, but there was still one problem. "I can see your point Theresa, and Anko has been interested in having her own Genin team for quite some time, but there's one problem preventing it." he stated sadly.

"Ah, her former master's dark mark." stated Theresa coldly, "A truly terrible thing, but, if you'd allow me, I'm quite certain I could deal with it."

"You can!?" questioned Sarutobi in surprise. "But how? Not even Jiraiya, one of the best seal-masters in Konoha's history, could remove it."

"I never said I could remove it, but I can make it completely harmless." answered Theresa calmly.

"How?" questioned the Hokage.

"By removing the portion of his soul that Orochimaru has bonded with his curse seal to power and control it." answered Theresa. "By doing so, the mark will lose all its connections with him as well as its dark powers and become nothing more than a harmless, if permanent, mark." she finished with a cold grin that sent a shiver down the old Hokage's spine.

"Can you really do such a thing?" questioned the old Hokage.

"It will not be easy, but it is doable. Call young Anko to your office either later today or tomorrow. Explain the situation to her and tell her that if she wishes I'll remove the seal's hold over her in two days' time, whether she agrees to our deal or not."

:"You'd help her even if she refuses? Why?" questioned the Hokage. Theresa had no obligation to help if her deal was refused, and since she was neither a shinobi nor an official resident of Konoha he held no official authority over her. Generosity like that wasn't common in the ninja world.

"Because it is what Naruto-kun would want me to do." she stated calmly. "Naruto is a very kind soul; he despises seeing others in pain and will always seek to help those in need. I am merely doing as my young apprentice would wish me to."

"Very well, I'll call her in later, but why wait for two days?" asked the Hokage.

"I have plans for tomorrow. I have promised Naruto a gift for his graduation and I also believe it is time he learns of his bloodline." stated Theresa. "I should be off. I promised Naruto-kun I'd meet him and Iruka after the exams were over to celebrate. Would you like to come along Sarutobi-kun?"

"I do believe I will. I think I've earned a brief break. While we walk you can tell me more about this bloodline you believe Naruto's inherited. What did you call it again?" he asked as he got up out of his chair.

"It is called the Archon Bloodline, and it is possibly the oldest bloodline in existence in the world." she stated sagely as she walked out the door.

**_~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~_**

**_~~~~~JUTSU IDENTIFICATION~~~~~_**

**Doton: Nanjakujiban **(Earth Release: Soft Earth): _D-ranked ninjutsu_. One of the simplest Doton ninjutsu commonly known, this ninjutsu sends a brief jolt of Doton chakra through the earth to a specific spot within the user's sight. The jolt of Earth-augmented chakra weakens and loosens the earth and soil beneath the targeted area creating a mini sinkhole or foot-trap. Requires only a single handseal. Low-ranked due to the small amount of chakra required and the minimal area it targets. Immensely difficult to detect unless one has sensor training

**Henge no Jutsu **(Transformation Technique): _E-ranked ninjutsu_. One of the most basic ninjutsu known, practiced by nearly every ninja clan or village known. The user releases a constant stream of chakra while focusing on an image of the person, animal, or object they wish to imitate. Basic and extremely to use but can cause great mental strain if used over a prolonged period of time. NOTE: Does not grant a person any of the attributes of the transformed state. For Example: Transformation into a bird does not allow flight, transformation into steel will not make the body and harder, and transformation into a muscular form will not increase the user's strength.

**Kawarimi no Jutsu **(Body Replacement Technique): _E-ranked ninjutsu_. One of the most basic ninjutsu known and commonly practiced in the current shinobi world. This jutsu replaces the user with a nearby object or even another person if they are unable to resist, at the moment they are struck by an attack. There is also a subtle after-image effect that will keep the attacker from noticing the switch for up to several moments.

_The Brothers_: _3 Star ranked card_. When activated this card creates a number of solid duplicates based on the amount of chakra channeled into the card. These duplicates are solid, but quite fragile, capable of being dispelled with one solid hit. It is possible to create a sturdier duplicate but this significantly increases the chakra cost of activating the card.

**_~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~_**

**End Chapter 5**

**Thus ends Chapter 5, how does everyone like it.**

**READ AND REVIEW**


	6. The First Test, Part III

**Naruto: A Seer's Fable**

**REVIEW RESPONSE:**

Azurealkaze: Good point on the jutsu, but remember both that jutsu and the genjutsu he used on Naruto at the beginning were designed to be subtle and not attract attention. The only reason Naruto was able to notice them was due to his sensor abilities.

_brrt_: Thanks for all the praise, and Theresa's reasons will become clear in time. As for the two problems. For the first, I'll agree that adding some details from the past courses and other's attempts would have been beneficial, but it would have consumed a lot of space and distracted from the main story. The second one, however, is a little rushed. Sasuke only received his reading yesterday, and Ino a few minutes before the test started, it's a bit too early for them to show any real results.

shadan: I don't see the chakra strings as a Suna-only ninjutsu. Mizuki used them in an anime filler arc, and Tenten uses them quite liberally in the Shippuden. Besides Suna's puppet-masters are one of their greatest strengths, I doubt other shinobi villages haven't researched some of the basics behind it for their own use. I see Suna's mastery of puppetry as more than a mastery of the art instead of being the only ones who have the knowledge to perform it.

_Nameless Critic_: Sorry about that typo, but I can't catch every mistake.

_To everyone else that reviewed I thank you for your time and support._

"Human Speech"

'_Human Thought'_

**"Demon/Summons Speech"**

**'_Demon/Summons Thought'_**

**Jutsu **or _Card_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Fable, or anything other than my own original ideas for this story**

**_~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~_**

**Chapter 6: The First Test, Part III**

It was a pleasant evening in Konoha. The sun just beginning to sink below the horizon, and Naruto was in a great mood as he walked home to get some rest after a busy day. He'd passed his test, screwed up Mizuki-teme's attempts to get him to fail, earned his hitai-ate, and gotten to gorge himself on an all he could eat ramen buffet with Iruka-sensei, Theresa-bāchan, Ojīsan, Teuchi-ojisan, and Ayame-nēchan to celebrate. Not to mention Bāchan was taking him out to get him a graduation gift tomorrow, and she even mentioned a second surprise she wanted to show him afterwards. Yup, today's been one of the best days in the history of Naruto Uzumaki and the blonde intended to enjoy every bit of it.

"Hey Naruto!" came a call from behind him.

Naruto's good mood suddenly dropped as he recognized that voice. Turning around the blonde found himself face-to-face with Mizuki. Forcing down the glare and growl he wanted to unleash on the jerk who'd tried to sabotage him all day Naruto replied, "What's up Mizuki-sensei?" in an even tone

"Well I just got off work, filing all the tests and grades and prepping for the next class, and I wanted to congratulate you on how well you did on your exams." replied Mizuki pleasantly before a large grin plastered itself across his face. "And I also wanted to make you a special offer."

Naruto looked at the instructor curiously, wondering exactly what the man was planning. "What kind of special offer?" questioned the blonde.

Mizuki's grin turned into a full-blown smirk. "How'd you like to be rookie of the year?"

**_~~~ XXXXXXXXXXX ~~~_**

_(Hokage's Office, a couple hours later)_

Night had fully fallen onto Konoha as we find Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Sandaime Hokage, once again locked in battle with his most hated enemy, paperwork. The old man let out a tired sigh as he continued to work on the abominable mass of papery evil stacked in front of him. He'd enjoyed taking a few hours off to celebrate his adoptive grandson's graduation with him and the rest of the boy's foster family, but now he was forced to pay the price for it. Leaving the office had allowed his arch foe to pile up and gain ground on his desk; ground the aged shinobi was struggling desperately to win back. He was just about to collapse on his desk and let blissful sleep take him for the night when a cheery voice chimed in right in front of him.

"Yoh old man." came the sing-song voice of a cheery Naruto Uzumaki.

"Naruto?" snorted the Hokage as he shot up from the desk where his head had drooped in exhaustion.

"You really shouldn't fall asleep like that gramps, it'll ruin your back." scolded the blonde playfully.

"What are you doing here so late Naruto?" questioned the Hokage as he glanced at a clock resting on the far wall of his office.

"I came here to steal the Forbidden Scroll of Seals." explained the blonde.

"WHAT?" exclaimed the elderly Hokage in shock at that blunt statement.

"Judging by your reaction I'm guessing this really isn't a special test." stated the blonde calmly. "I figured as much, but it never hurts to be sure." he continued with a shrug

"Naruto, what on earth are you talking about?" asked a now thoroughly confused Hokage.

"Mizuki-teme came to me after I left Ichiraku's. He said that if I passed a 'special graduation exam' I'd be automatically made rookie of the year. I played along and pretended to believe him as he explained how I was supposed to steal the forbidden scroll and take it to a secluded area in the woods without getting caught. I'm supposed to meet him there at midnight, which is less than an hour from now." explained the blonde calmly.

"That little bastard." growled out the Hokage. "I'll send out my Anbu and have them capture and detain the little..."

"Wouldn't work." countered Naruto. "He'd just say I was lying to incriminate or discredit him for some reason, and considering that over half the village hates my guts for holding the fox and we have no evidence other than my word, they'd probably believe him and he'd get away scot free. Besides, the teme has information that we need, and the only way he's going to tell us without alerting any allies he has hidden in the wings, is if he thinks he's winning."

"What do you mean?" questioned the Hokage, giving the blonde a level, appraising look.

"Well earlier today I did a reading for myself to be ready for the exams. It showed me that Mizuki is just a puppet for someone else, _The_ _Serpent_." growled out the blonde, his voice showing an utter loathing for that card. Sarutobi instantly understood the source of the boy's anger. From what Naruto and Theresa had told him of their various readings and predictions it seems that whoever that card represents will play a key part in the dangers that will envelop Naruto and Konoha in the times to come. As the Hokage continued to think on that the blonde continued, "I'm willing to bet my monthly ramen budget that Mizuki's either a spy or an agent for whoever's going to be causing us trouble in the future. Only problem is, I doubt he's the only one our enemy's got. If we just attempt to capture him and he gets away there's a good chance one of the others will find out and silence him before we can get him to talk."

Hiruzen nodded his head before he looked at his foster grandson and asked, "I take it you have a plan?"

"Yeah." agreed the blonde. "Give me a false scroll, I'm sure you can whip one up quick enough, and I'll present it to Mizuki. The teme will no doubt try something, and that's when I'll spring the trap and tell him I know all about what he's been doing. Hopefully I'll be able to rile him up enough that he'll spill who he's working for. After that, the Anbu you'll have waiting nearby will capture the traitor before he has time to alert his contacts." explained the blonde.

"It sound risky Naruto, especially for you." stated the Third concerned.

"Sorry old man, but I've only had a couple hours to come up with it, and I couldn't alert you sooner since the teme's been watching me until I left for the tower." explained the blonde. He knew it wasn't a perfect plan, but it was the best they had.

The Third sighed tiredly, thinking the same thing. "Very well. Naruto Uzumaki, I'm assigning you an A-ranked mission. You are to take a false copy of the Forbidden Scroll of Seals and use it to gather information from the traitor Mizuki. Good luck and may the Will of Fire burn brightly within you." he ordered seriously as he reached into his desk and pulled out a scroll. Going through a quick set of handseals he placed his hand on the scroll. In a puff of smoke the normal scroll was replaced with a massive copy of the Scroll of Seals.

Naruto took up the false scroll and placed it across his back, before bowing to the Hokage and leaping out the window running at high speeds toward the forest.

**_~~~ XXXXXXXXX ~~~_**

_(Less than an hour later, Konoha; Wooded Training Ground)_

Naruto stood in the midst of a small clearing in the center of one of Konoha's many wooded training grounds. He was leaning against the side of a small shack, probably placed there to serve as part of a training exercise, with the false scroll resting against the wall next to him. The blonde's eyes were half-closed and his head was slowly sinking onto his chest, as if the boy was moments away from falling asleep where he stood. In reality the boy was concentrating on his sensor abilities, focusing on feeling the ebb and flow of the chakra surrounding him. In the midst of the forest, filled with dozens of animals, it was a lot easier for someone to hide their chakra signature by trying to blend in with wildlife, so a sensor would have to concentrate to differentiate between the animal and shinobi signatures. Granted, someone would have to actively be attempting to hide their chakra from a sensor in order to do this, and the blonde doubted Mizuki had figured out his sensor abilities just yet, but he wasn't taking any chances.

His efforts were rewarded when he felt a human chakra signature, roughly high Chūnin in strength; enter his **_Kenchitai_ **(Detection Field). '_So Mizuki-teme's finally arrived._' mentally smirked the blonde as he prepared himself and followed the signature's path. The signature seemed to skirt around the edge of the clearing until it settled and slowed to a stop directly across from the area where Naruto was standing.

Across the clearing Mizuki sat hidden among the branches, hidden from sight as he studied his prey. The blonde idiot was standing there, resting against the side of the shack, half-asleep, and just begging to be killed. Mizuki let his smirk grow. '_All too easy_.' was the traitor's only thought as he drew out several shuriken and kunai and let them fly. He watched in glee as the flying weapons riddled the blonde as he leapt from his perch and proceeded to retrieve the scroll…only to stop midstride as the blonde exploded in a puff of smoke, replaced by a log now riddled in kunai and shuriken.

"Now that wasn't very nice Mizuki-teme." came a scolding tone from a nearby tree. Quickly turning, the traitorous teacher found himself staring at the blonde student he just tried to kill, standing on a branch in a tree halfway across the field.

"Uh Naruto…great job, I knew that you could do it." quickly lied the teacher, trying to get the brat to drop his guard. "Sorry about the kunai, but it was part of the test. Looks like you pass, congratulations."

"Nice try." stated the blonde in a bored tone. "I know that you've been trying to sabotage me all day, just like you did last year." stated the blonde as he let his scowl show.

Mizuki cursed under his breath at that little revelation, before he decided for a different tactic. "Say Naruto?" he asked, his voice retaining its friendly tone, "Would you like to know a secret? The secret behind why everyone in this village despises you, why they'll never accept you."

"Oh really, do tell." stated the blonde, his voice seemingly mixing sarcasm and curiosity.

"Fifteen years ago when the Kyūbi attacked, the Fourth and the rest of the village fought valiantly to kill the demon and the Fourth himself died killing it. That is the story that is told to everyone, but it is a lie! The Fourth didn't kill the fox; he sealed it inside of someone, a new-born infant. That infant was you; you are the Nine-Tailed Fox, the demon that nearly destroyed Konoha all those years ago. That's the reason that no one will ever accept you, why they will always despise you. That idiot Iruka, that old hag, even the old fool of a Hokage; all of them will never really care for you. YOU SHOULD JUST DIE!" with that final maniacal shout the twisted Chūnin threw one of his giant shuriken across the field at the blonde, who had lowered his head during the proclamation.

The giant shuriken whizzed through the air like a giant buzz saw before connecting and biting deeply into the blonde's chest…only for him to once again explode in a puff of smoke and be replaced by another log. Before Mizuki could respond he heard a whistling behind him and quickly turned, only to receive a roundhouse kick to the jaw from the blonde who'd seemingly materialized right behind him. The Chūnin was sent flying backward but was able to catch himself just in time to land in a crouch.

Naruto was standing, his leg still slightly higher than normal from delivering his kick to the traitorous Chūnin's jaw, across the field, a smirk clearly visible on his face. "Nice try Mizuki, but I've known about the fox since I was twelve years old. I know all about why most of the idiots in this village hate me and, to be honest, I could hardly care less. I have people who care about me for me, and that's all I need." the blonde's eyes suddenly hardened as he finished, "And for daring to insult them, you're going to pay a heavy price." finished the blonde in a low growl.

Mizuki got up and spat, "Just try it fox-brat."

"I intend to." stated the blonde as he suddenly threw a half-dozen shuriken at the traitorous instructor.

Mizuki quickly jumped to the side, dodging the shuriken, before charging the blonde, hoping to finish him off in close-range where he presumed Naruto was at his weakest. As the silver-haired chūnin came closer, Naruto leapt back and drew a pair of kunai, holding one in each hand, before charging forward at the former instructor. Mizuki drew his own kunai and held it in a single grip to block the blonde's first thrust, only for the second kunai to come slashing at his side. The chūnin quickly hopped back before blocking an overhand strike from the younger shinobi. Naruto used the weight and positioning from the block as a fulcrum, before shifting his weight and flipping over the instructor, scoring a deep stab into his opponent's left shoulder. Mizuki lashed out blindly with his own kunai, forcing the blonde to jump backward, holding both kunai in a defensive position, one still red with Mizuki's blood.

'_Damn, how the hell did that brat manage to wound me? ME! The little brat's never been any good in taijutsu, but he's wielding those knives like a freaking expert!_' mentally cursed the chūnin as his hand clasped his bleeding shoulder, while the other kept the kunai in a defensive position.

In truth Naruto did lack any skills in raw taijutsu, but he more than made up for that in his skill with weaponry. Baa-chan had trained him quite well in how to handle a sword, which she often carried concealed as a walking stick or simply sealed away; and the old man had even managed to teach him how to properly wield a staff. Being friends with Tenten, a weapons expert, for most of the previous year had only improved the blonde's already developed skills.

Seeing his opponent's aggravation and deciding that now would be a good time to rile his enemy up and get some information, Naruto spoke up. "Say Mizuki-teme, who are you stealing the scroll for? They must be pretty pathetic if you're the best agent they can send to do the job." smirked the blonde.

That was the final straw for Mizuki. The little brat was not only insulting him, but also his master, the only man to ever truly appreciate _his_ potential. He would _not_ allow that to go unpunished. "How dare you!" snarled the chūnin as he reached into his vest and pulled out the parcel that his contact had given him earlier. "I'll show you my true power, the power granted to me by Lord Orochimaru!" roared the Chūnin as he swallowed both pills in a single gulp. An instant later the silver-haired chūnin doubled over in pain. His entire body felt like it was on fire as new power coursed through his veins.

Naruto involuntarily took a step back as he sensed Mizuki's body seemed to explode with a new type of chakra. It was unlike anything the blonde had ever felt before it was so…so dark, so _evil_. '_What the hell is going on? No human is supposed to produce this kind of chakra. Nothing is supposed to produce chakra like this._' thought the blonde.

As the blonde continued to stare, Mizuki's body went through a violent transformation. His muscles suddenly bulged, doubling and even tripling in size along his arms and chest, shredding his shirt and vest along with the lower half of his pants. Glowing red marking, reminiscent of stripes, suddenly appeared all over his body, particularly his chest and back. Orange and white fur appeared, coating his limbs while his markings remained visible, though they changed to black and lost their glow, and his hands flattened while the fingers suddenly ended in long claws. Finally his face seemed to squash and take on a vaguely feline appearance as the pupils of eyes narrowed into thin slits. In a manner of moments the Chūnin instructor had transformed into a giant, humanoid tiger.

The newly transformed instructor let out a massive, feral roar before leaping at the still stunned blonde. The blonde was just barely able to leap out the way and avoid the pouncing punch. The impact left a crater in the center of the field. Mizuki laughed his now furry ass off, his voice becoming deeper and throatier as he snarled at the blonde. "Do you see now demon-whelp!? This is true power! The power Lord Orochimaru has given to me!" roared the tiger-man.

Naruto quickly shook off the shock that the malignant chakra and the transformation had caused, forcing his mind back onto his current problem. '_Calm down Naruto._' he ordered himself. '_Now is not the time to panic or let yourself get distracted. Just think. He's definitely a hell of a lot stronger now, but his movements are different, more…sluggish! That's got to be it. That transformation may have massively increased his body's muscle mass, but his legs don't seem to have enough power to keep up with the increase in weight, as well as his balance being thrown off by his now top-heavy build_.' The blonde developed a sudden smirk. '_Too bad for him, speed is my specialty_.' With that the blonde threw both kunai at the tiger-man before launching himself forward, channeling chakra into his legs to increase his already impressive speed.

Mizuki didn't even bother trying to dodge the kunai, and as both connected they seemed to bounce off his now furry hide. When Naruto got within reach the tiger-man launched a wide sweeping blow with one tree-trunk like arm, but Naruto easily jumped over it and launched a flying butterfly kick directly into the former instructor's now cat-like face. Mizuki took a step back with the foot still implanted in his face before one of his now paw-like hands reached up and grabbed Naruto's outstretched leg and threw him across the clearing to impact with a nearby tree. As the blonde got back to his feet, his head spinning slightly from the impact of the blow, Mizuki wiped the back of one of his arms across his muzzle, wiping off a bit of blood from a split lip, the only visible effect of the blonde's attack.

"Nice try whelp, but you're not strong enough to hurt me now. Not with Lord Orochimaru's power coursing through my veins." snarled Mizuki as he leapt forward, once again trying to rend the brat into little pieces.

Naruto quickly jumped out of the way. '_Crap, where are those Anbu?_' thought the blonde before he refocused on his fight. '_Guess that new body of his isn't just stronger, but a lot tougher as well. He's like a…a…giant tortoise. Lots of power and hard to hurt, but he's too slow to hurt me unless he backs me into a corner. I better keep my distance, but normal attacks aren't going to hurt him. Guess I'll have to start using my 'trump cards._'

With that the blonde reached into his jacket and pulled out a deck of playing cards. Taking the deck in hand and charging the cards with his chakra, the blonde quickly launched them all into the air before going through a set of three handseals. Holding the final seal, a Bird seal, the blonde shouted "**Karuta Jutsu: Gojuni no Arashi**! (Playing Card Technique: Storm of Fifty-two)." The still flying playing cards stopped in midair and started spinning, each turning into a miniature buzz saws before launching forward at Mizuki

The tiger-man raised both arms to protect his face and chest, blocking most of the projectiles with his forearms and hands. Mizuki's toughened hide seemed to still be vulnerable enough to wound, because after the jutsu had ended his forearms, shoulders, and hands were riddled with cuts as well as several playing cards lodged into the flesh. The tiger-man grimaced in pain as he lowered his arms before snarling at the blonde. "You. Damned. _BRAT_!" roared the now feral instructor as he launched himself at the blonde, his rage seemingly boosting his speed as he managed to slam one massive paw-like fist into the blonde's gut, sending him rocketing backward. Naruto barely managed to get up and out of the way as the maddened instructor launched himself at him again.

'_Well I certainly succeeded in pissing him off. Where the hell are those Anbu?_' thought the blonde as he noticed something. '_Wait a minute, that weird chakra, it's different now…less stable, weaker even_.' thought the blonde before the answer hit him. '_Of course! Those pills were only a booster, a temporary reserve designed to give the user an extra edge. Mizuki must be burning through it faster now that he's pissed. All I've got to do now is keep him pissed and hope he burns himself out._' concluded the blonde as he jumped back again, dodging another swipe from the crazed Chūnin.

Instead of following the blonde, the feral Chūnin instead reached behind his back and grabbed the other giant shuriken, which had somehow remained glued to the tiger-man's back during the entire battle. The giant cat gripped the weapon between two clawed fingers, the giant shuriken seemingly much smaller in the over-sized creature's paws, before launching it at the blonde.

Seeing what the tiger-man was doing, the blonde reached into his combat deck and drew out a card of his own. Holding it out to the side, the blonde called out, "_The Star_!" The card in his hand erupted in a plume of smoke which quickly dissipated to reveal a giant, five-bladed, silver shuriken shaped like a star. Naruto quickly reeled back his own arm and let the weapon fly.

The two giant shuriken met in midair halfway between the two combatants in an explosion of sparks, both seemingly frozen in midflight. Mizuki's normal shuriken may have been powered by his augmented strength, but Naruto's was fueled by an ingrained chakra enhancement. The two weapons seemed to contest for a few seconds before Naruto's shuriken sawed through Mizuki's and continued toward its target, cutting a deep gouge in the tiger-man's shoulder before the oversized traitor could dodge.

This seemed to be the final straw, as Mizuki roared like a feral beast and lunged at the blonde, his hands spread open and baring large claws and his mouth opened wide in mid-roar showing sharp canines.

Thinking quickly, the blonde reached into his combat deck and drew a specific card. Quickly charging the card the blonde launched it at his leaping opponent while calling out. "_The Sun_!"

As the card flew through the air, it suddenly ignited into a miniature fireball. When the small orb of flame impacted with the leaping Mizuki's stomach, it exploded in a massive burst of flames, burning most of the front side of the tiger-man's body while throwing him backwards. A still smoldering Mizuki landed on his back near the opposite end of the clearing.

It took the former instructor a few tries but the former instructor slowly regained his footing. Naruto stood defensively on the opposite end of the clearing as his opponent slowly started stumbling forward, his movements clearly showing he was on his last leg, even if his mind and pride refused to admit it. "You…*_cough_*…damned …*_cough_*…braaagh." The tiger-man never got a chance to finish his final insult, as he began to cough up blood as the dark chakra seemed to expire before he collapsed forward onto his charred stomach. Naruto felt the last vestiges of the traitor's dark chakra seem to turn on him. As it did Mizuki's transformation seemed to reverse, his muscles and features returning to normal before shriveling into near nothing as his skin turned a dull, dark gray. The last of the dark chakra seemed to drain away his remaining vitality before evaporating, leaving nothing more than a withered corpse.

Naruto just stared at the corpse for several moments, before he heard a soft rustling coming from behind him. Turning, he noticed a half-dozen masked Anbu standing behind him. Looking at the apparent commander, a man with a bird mask, the blonde asked, "What kept you?"

The captain gave the blonde a slight bow, "We apologize, Uzumaki-san, but someone triggered a number of explosions on the opposite side of the village a little less than an hour ago. The chaos prevented Hokage-sama from contacting us any quicker than he did. We believe that the explosives were set either by the traitor Mizuki or one of his contacts within the village to distract our attention away from the meeting." explained the Anbu.

"I see." nodded the blonde.

"We are to take you to Hokage-sama, while the traitor's corpse is taken to the R&D division for study." further prompted the Anbu captain.

"I see. Could you wait one moment?" asked the blonde. When the commander gave a nod he walked over to a nearby bush and proceeded to puke his guts out.

The commander watched the blonde for several minutes before approaching and asking, "First kill?"

Naruto merely nodded his head slowly before continuing to empty his stomach contents across the forest floor.

The commander and several of his fellow Anbu nodded their heads. "I did the same thing after my first, could barely keep anything down for a few days afterward." he stated reassuringly, before patting the younger shinobi on the shoulder. "It is the cost of our duty."

"I cried for nearly a full week after mine." stated a female Anbu with a cat mask.

"The first time's always the hardest. My hands shook so bad that I could barely hold a kunai for a month after mine." stated another male with a bear mask.

The blonde nodded his head in thanks at the offered reassurances. They certainly helped quell his stomach, or maybe he didn't have anything left to remove. He stood back up and walked over to the commander. "Thanks, let go see the Hokage, I've got some news on who the traitor was working for."

The commander nodded his head and the group departed, leaving two members to take the remains of the traitor to R&D

_**~~~ XXXXX ~~~**_

The group arrived at the Hokage's office several minutes later. The Hokage nodded in greeting before dismissing the Anbu. The old Hokage looked at his foster grandson for several minutes, studying the small injuries covering the blonde that were already healing, before stating, "Report." in a calm, even tone.

Naruto took in a deep, calming breath. "Despite the delays in the arrival of the Anbu, due to the machinations of either the traitor Mizuki or one of his associates, the mission was a success. I contacted the traitor as planned and he immediately attacked me before attempting to confuse and throw me off balance by revealing the S-ranked law relating to my 'special' status before repeating his attempt. I was able to injure the traitor before angering him to the point that he revealed who his master is." stated the blonde.

"Who?" questioned the Hokage calmly.

"Orochimaru." answered the blonde; "He was most likely referring to the known traitor Orochimaru of the Sannin, though I cannot confirm this." clarified the blonde.

Sarutobi nodded his head. He'd suspected that _The Serpent_ was his former student, but he didn't want to voice his opinions without any facts to back them up, particularly if his own preconceptions would cloud his interpretations of either Naruto's or Theresa's future visions. Theresa had often told him to never assume anything when it came to visions of the future, for that led only to folly and arrogance, and Sarutobi had always tried to heed the aged seer's advice, particularly when it came to her own specialty. He motioned for the blonde to continue his report.

"My attempts to infuriate the man seemed to work too well. After revealing who his master was the man removed a small packet from his vest and swallowed what appeared to be a pair of pills stored inside. This seemed to cause him a great deal of pain, as he hunched over before his body started to release…" the blonde shuddered. "I don't know how to properly describe it gramps. It was darkest, foulest, most evil chakra I've ever encountered, even worse than when I first encountered the Kyūbi." stated the blonde as he broke out in a cold sweat from just remembering the feel of that chakra.

Sarutobi looked at the blonde carefully and nodded in sympathy. It was one of the downsides to being a sensor; they were far more sensitive to foreign chakra sources. Many sensors who'd survived the Kyūbi attack had been plagued by nightmares for some time afterwards because of the creature's violent chakra.

"After his body started to release that…that _evil_ chakra, he began to physically change as well. His muscles swelled, particularly along his upper body, and a series of glowing red marks, which looked a great deal like tiger stripes, appeared over the entirety of his body. Then he started to sprout fur, his hands turned into clawed paws, and his face became more feline. I don't know what those pills are but they seemed to turn Mizuki into an amalgamation of tiger and human. This transformation seemed to grant him an impressive boost to physical power and endurance, though his speed did seem to decrease significantly until he grew enraged. However the man didn't perform a single jutsu after his transformation, not even a simple Kawarimi, though whether this is due to the transformation or not, I'm unsure.

After his transformation we continued to fight. I was unable to wound him using normal weapons or taijutsu, so I turned to my special jutsu. I was able to wound him with a Karuta ninjutsu, but that seemed to enrage him more than actually harm him. He became more feral in both appearance and action, though this rage also seemed to boost his speed, allowing him to score an extremely painful strike on me. Luckily I was able to recover quickly enough to prevent him from landing another strike. I then noticed that the secondary chakra became less stable and potent as he got angrier, so I attempted to fuel his rage, hoping to tire him out. I continued to dodge for several minutes before I managed to land another hit using one of my Tarot. Again, his injury seemed to throw him into an even more feral rage, and he launched himself at me with more strength and speed than I thought possible. Luckily, I was able to counter with another one of my cards, severely injuring him to a near-death point. When the man seemed to be dying, the last remnants of the secondary chakra seemed to turn on his body, draining it, withering it, and leaving nothing but a…a…a withered husk behind." finished the blonde as he lowered his face and his body seemed to shake a little.

Sarutobi instantly knew what the cause of the blonde's sudden unease was. Despite the fact that it was this strange chakra that actually finished the man off; Naruto had, for all intents and purposes, killed Mizuki. The first kill was an incredibly painful event for most Genin, and those who didn't feel any emotional turmoil from it were closely monitored for mental instability. The old man got out of his seat and walked around the desk before standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the young man. Even after all these years it still amazed him how quickly the young blonde had grown. The old man placed both hands on the blonde's shoulders and slowly pulled the young man into a firm embrace.

"You did well my boy. You fought with courage and conviction, and risked your own life to protect the village. I'm proud of you." he said reassuringly.

"Jiji?" asked the blonde, a name he hadn't called the older man in several years. "Does it get…easier?"

"In time," nodded Hiruzen, "but pray it never becomes truly easy to take another's life Naruto, for then you have truly lost your soul."

Naruto nodded his head and the two broke the embrace as the Hokage returned to his seat. "Ojii-san, what happened to Mizuki? What was that weird transformation and that sinister chakra?"

Hiruzen sighed, it would probably be better to term it all as classified, but he knew that the blonde's insatiable curiosity, a trait molded and encouraged by both Theresa and, to a lesser extent, himself, would not let it die. The boy could get into some serious trouble if he investigated too much, particularly with his new sensei. Anko knew just as much about the curse seal as he did, and he doubted she'd be able to keep it a secret from the blonde for too long. Added to that, Orochimaru seemed to be destined to confront the boy, and any knowledge he could provide about the Snake Sannin and his abilities would help improve his grandson's chances at survival.

"Naruto this information is highly classified. I need your assurances that you won't divulge any of it unless absolutely necessary." stated the Hokage seriously. Naruto gave the older man a firm nod. Despite his curiosity, the blonde also knew how to keep information secure. After all, there's no good in knowing the future if the enemy finds out about it as well. "I'm not entirely sure but the pills that Mizuki swallowed were probably an altered version of one of Orochimaru's original kenjutsu (Forbidden Technique), the Curse Seal." stated the Hokage.

"Curse Seal?" questioned the blonde.

Sarutobi nodded. "Our information about it is scarce and spotty at best, but from what we've been able to confirm it grants the user several increased abilities, increasing their chakra reserves by drawing out the innate chakra within the body as well as improving most levels of physical performance. However, the seal also forces the wielder into a sort of berserker state when used, increasing and reinforcing their aggressive tendencies. It also seems to connect them to Orochimaru in some way, though how exactly and to what extent is still unknown. We've also never encountered any physical transformations like what you described with Mizuki, but again our information is both scarce and over a decade old at best." explained the Hokage.

Naruto nodded his head in thought. "That seems to describe what happened with Mizuki pretty well. Those pills seemed to turn him into a berserker, though the boosts weren't nearly as potent as you seem to believe they should be. Perhaps those pills were a temporary or reduced version of this Curse Seal?" suggested the blonde.

Sarutobi nodded his head. "It's possible, hopefully Mizuki's remains will be able to tell us more." agreed the Hokage. "Now I'd like to congratulate you on your first successful mission, an A-rank one no less. I'm very proud of you my boy." stated the Hokage as he reached out and patted the blonde's shoulder.

"Thanks Ojīsan." stated the blonde with a warm grin.

"You can pick up your pay tomorrow afternoon when you show up to finish your registration, after you're done with Theresa. Until then good night Naruto, and try to get some rest, you'll have a busy day tomorrow."

Naruto suddenly felt the weight of everything that had happened during the day and yawned quite loudly. Nodding his head to his Ojii-san, Naruto left for home, and as soon as he got there collapsed onto his bed and let blissful unconsciousness take him.

**_~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~_**

Bright light shined into the blonde's eyes as he awoke with the dawning of the sun once more. Even after everything the blonde had been through last night, the first rays of morning sun still awoke him from his slumber.

"A thousand curses upon you, you insufferable orb of hated brightness." groaned the blonde as he attempted to hide his face beneath his pillows and return to sleep's sweet embrace. Sadly, it was a battle the boy could not win and less than fifteen minutes later the blonde was in the shower. A little over an hour later, after a quick breakfast of some fried rice, miso soup, and a couple _tamagoyaki_ (Japanese rolled omelets), the blonde was out the door and off to meet his bāchan. The two had planned on meeting early since the blonde needed to be at the Hokage Tower by midafternoon to complete his registration and Theresa-bāchan said that they could be out for a while.

A short while later the blonde had arrived at their meeting place, a storefront with a sign showing ten different blades pointing outward in a star-like pattern, with a second, smaller sign hanging off it indicating it as the, 'Ten Point Weapon & Supply Shop.' Naruto smiled as he looked at the storefront, remembering his academy friend whose family owned the store. Looking up at the sun, he noticed he was a bit early, and decided to enter the shop to talk to Tenten while he waited, but before he could enter…

"I'm glad to see you here bright and early Naruto-kun. Especially after what you went through last night." came Theresa's ever-calm voice…from directly behind the blonde.

Naruto started in alarm and slammed directly into the storefront. "Ouch." monotoned the blonde as he peeled himself off the wall and turned to face his teacher. "How do you always do that bāchan?" questioned the blonde. Theresa seemed to possess the uncanny ability to sneak up on anyone, anytime, anywhere. Even after training his sensor abilities the blonde still couldn't detect the woman until she made herself known. Hell, she'd even managed to sneak into the Hokage's office from time to time without alerting the trained Anbu guards.

Theresa merely chuckled at the question before waving a finger at Naruto in a slightly scolding manner, "As I've told you and Sarutobi-kun a hundred times, a woman should always have her secrets." her voice still completely calm, even if it did hold a slight hint of mirth.

Naruto sighed and decided to drop the question. He may be stubborn, but this was a battle he'd fought a thousand times before and always lost. It just wasn't worth it at times, _besides_ there was a more important subject today. "So bāchan, what are you going to give me for my graduation present? And what's this big surprise you wanted to show me?" asked our ever-curious blonde.

Theresa only showed a slight smile as she ruffled the blonde's hair affectionately. Naruto didn't mind, even after nearly eight years the blonde still enjoyed the show of affection. "Your gifts await us inside, as for the surprise, well if I told you now it wouldn't be much of a surprise now would it. I will tell you this, it's something I've long suspected, but have only been able to prove recently." she stated calmly as she opened the door to the shop and went in.

Naruto sighed at the last part before following her; his bāchan seemed to love speaking in riddles almost as much as she enjoyed surprising people.

The inside of the Ten Point shop seemed much larger than it appeared on the outside. The walls were lined with weapons of every different size and shape, from small, customized shuriken and kunai, to massive war hammers and polearms larger than Naruto. The shelves were also filled with weapons, along with other ninja essentials like exploding tags, soldier pills, and smoke bombs. To one side of the shop was an assortment of different ninja clothing and accessories, designed to be more durable than regular civilian clothing. Naruto always enjoyed the shop. One, because his friend was usually here when she wasn't training, and two it was one of the few places that didn't overcharge him.

Sitting at the opposite end of the store, behind a counter and looking extremely bored as she thumbed through a weapons magazine, was his old friend Tenten. She was a bit shorter than Naruto, standing about 5'4" or maybe 5'5" and was well built, with lean, strong muscles visible on her arms and legs. She had long, dark brown hair gathered into a pair of large buns on top of her head and light brown eyes. She was dressed, as usual, in a sleeveless, pink Chinese shirt and dark green shinobi pants with her Konoha hitai-ate wrapped around her forehead slightly covered by her bangs. As always, an assortment of sealing scrolls, most likely filled with her personal armory, rested on her belt

"Hey Ten-chan!" called out the blonde in greeting.

Tenten quickly looked up from her magazine. There were only a few people who she'd let get away with calling her that nickname, and since there were no screams about youth or flames, she guessed it was either Naruto or some idiot who was about to have a kunai shoved up a very uncomfortable place.

"Hey Naruto-kun, long time no see. Looks like you've finally decided to graduate." commented the bun-haired teen as she noticed the hitai-ate wrapped around his forehead.

"Yup!" happily agreed the blonde as he flicked his hitai-ate.

"It is good to see you again, Tenten-chan." greeted Theresa.

"Good to see you to, Theresa-san." replied Tenten respectfully. She knew that the older woman was skilled, despite not being a kunoichi, and respected her for it. That and the mysterious old woman always made her a little nervous, a common reaction too many who knew the aged seer. Only Naruto and, to a lesser extent, the Hokage seemed to be immune to it.

"I'm going to go and gather the first part of your gift Naruto-kun, while I'm gone why don't you and Tenten catch up." stated the seer as she walked off toward the clothing section.

"Gotcha' bāchan." agreed the blonde as Theresa walked away before he turned his attention back to Tenten. "So Ten-chan, how have things been?"

"Pretty good." replied Tenten with a shrug. "Gai-sensei's training us into the ground as usual, and Lee's idolizing and imitating him in every way, shape, and form." she finished with a slightly forlorn sigh.

"Including the spandex?" asked Naruto. He'd met Tenten's teacher a couple of times and the green-spandex was not a pretty sight.

"Yeah," sighed a now depressed Tenten before a smirk appeared on her face, "but it's not like you're one to talk, Mr. Orange-Jumpsuit." she stated condescendingly, flicking a finger to the orange amalgamation Naruto was wearing

"Oi!" shouted the blonde in mock indignation. "You know perfectly well I had a good reason to wear these things. Besides, I've grown attached to them."

"Yeah, yeah. The whole, 'I like playing the fool' excuse. I still don't understand why you did that. Anyway, what about you? What's my favorite fortune teller been up to?" she asked teasingly, getting a slight blush from the blonde.

"I've been pretty good. I've got team assignments on Monday. Oh, how's your fortune-telling been coming along?" asked the blonde curiously.

Tenten blushed a bit at the question. Very few people knew that her favorite hobby after weapon maintenance was fortune-telling, though she'd readily admit she was nowhere near as good as Naruto. When Naruto had found out, the blonde had gotten Tenten her own deck of tarot cards and taught her how to use them. They weren't nearly as nice as the ones Naruto used, but they were still impressive and it was a sweet gesture on Naruto's part.

"That's good to hear; hopefully you'll get a good sensei like mine, but hopefully less crazy. I've been practicing, but I don't think I'll be anywhere near your level for quite some time, Mr. Seer." teased Tenten.

Naruto blushed and scratched the back of his head at the teasing, before he suddenly remembered something. "Oh, that reminds me. I've got a gift for you Ten-chan." stated the blonde, causing the bun-haired girl to perk up. Reaching into a pouch on the back of his belt the blonde removed a small, dark brown leather holster; a smaller version of the one Naruto carried his combat deck in, and presented it to Tenten.

Tenten's eyes widened before she reached out to take the holster, hoping it contained some of Naruto's 'special' cards. The blonde had shown her some of his while they were in the Academy together and Tenten had adored them from the start. They were like ninjutsu and genjutsu compacted into a weapon-like form. She quickly opened the holster and squealed in delight as the cards fell into her hands, along with a note explaining what each card did and a trick to draw the one she wanted in combat. Two dozen beautiful cards and they were all hers. Granted they were mostly low-level cards: several of The Sword, a couple of The Star, a pair of The Pentacle, and several other low-level cards. Nothing higher than 3 Stars, but that didn't matter. They were still all hers and would help cover her weak spot when it came to ninjutsu.

After clipping her holster onto her belt, in between several of her scrolls, the brunette reached across the counter and dragged the blonde closer to give him a kiss on the cheek. Naruto blushed a furious red and got a little dizzy from the kiss. While the blonde's mind reeled from the show of affection, a slightly perverted though sprung up. _'Two kisses from two girls in just as many days. Maybe that reading wasn't as crazy as I thought.'_

_(Meanwhile, elsewhere in Fire Country, outside a female hot spring)_

A crouching, peaking, perverted figure suddenly let out a loud sneeze. _'Hmm, that's odd. I have a sudden feeling that I should be immensely proud of someone.'_ thought the figure, before he shrugged and returned to his peaking…I mean research.

Sadly for the pervert, his sneeze had alerted the female occupants of the hot spring, who soon found the pervert and commenced beating him into an unrecognizable blob of broken bones and pure pain.

_(Back to the story, sorry for the distraction but I felt it had to be done)_

Naruto quickly shook his head to banish the perverted thoughts as well as the dizziness, before he heard Theresa's voice spring up behind him once again.

"I'm glad you like your gift Tenten-chan, Naruto-kun crafted each of those cards himself with you in mind." the aged seer stated in a calm, yet somehow warm, tone causing both teens to blush.

"Arigato Naruto-kun." stated a blushing Tenten softly.

"No problem…Ten-chan." stated an equally, if not more, red Naruto as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Now Naruto-kun, here's the first part of your gift. Some new clothes, since I do believe it's time you dropped that fool's mask of yours. There's a changing room over there, so go try them on and come back." directed Theresa as she handed Naruto a bundle of clothes, mostly dark red and black, before she turned to Tenten. "Tenten-chan, would you mind finding your mother and asking her if my special order is ready? If it is have her bring it to the front."

Both teens nodded and did as instructed, Naruto heading for the dressing room and Tenten heading into the back of the shop to get her mother.

Naruto walked into the small, mirrored room and began changing. At first the blonde was a little skeptical in letting someone else pick out his new attire, but after taking a look in the changing room mirror, the blonde had to admit his bāchan had good taste. His new outfit consisted a pair of loose, dark red pants that widened near the bottom to give his feet and legs plenty of room to maneuver, a black, long-sleeved battle kimono secured with a dark red sash, a sleeveless, chain mesh shirt beneath the kimono, a pair of fingerless, black gloves that went just beyond his wrists, black ninja sandals, and a loose, dark red cloak with a large hood. To be honest he though it looked a bit like bāchan's outfit, only darker and more masculine. That was fine by him; he was her apprentice so dressing like his master a little wasn't too odd.

As the blonde returned he noticed Tenten had also returned with her mother in tow, who was currently carrying a large bundle in her arms. Tenten's mother, Hyōteki Sumisu, looked a great deal like her daughter, showing a bit of what the girl would look like in another twenty years or so. The only real differences were her face was a little bit softer, her eyes were green instead of brown, and she let her dark brown hair fall down her back. She was dressed in a simple, short-sleeved, working kimono, but her visible limbs still showed the muscles of a trained kunoichi, despite the woman being retired for nearly two decades.

When the blonde reappeared, Tenten let out a low whistle, "Looking good, Naruto-kun." teased the bun-haired girl. Hyōteki giggled at her daughter's teasing and nodded her head in agreement while the blonde blushed.

"An outfit truly befitting a shinobi-seer, if I do say so myself." agreed Theresa with a nod of approval.

The blonde blushed and rubbed the back of his head at all the praise, before saying, "I've got to admit bāchan, I was a little skeptical at letting someone else pick out my new clothes, but this stuff rocks!"

"I'm glad you approve Naruto-kun." stated Theresa before she turned to Hyōteki. "I trust you were able to meet all my specification for my order, Hyōteki-chan?" questioned Theresa.

Hyōteki nodded her head as she reached picked up a long, narrow, cloth-wrapped object resting behind the counter. She and her husband, Suchi, worked together in creating the shops most prized inventory. Suchi did the actual forge-work, crafting and building the weapons, while Hyōteki added any seals or designs.

"Of course Theresa-san. Though, I'll admit that, without the designs you gave us, it would have been much more difficult, if not impossible to incorporate everything you wanted." she stated proudly as she laid the object on the counter before she began unfolding the cloth wrapped around the object.

It was a staff of some kind, though the design was quite unique. The main body was somewhere between four and five feet in length. Most of it was made of dark red wood, but the bottom was capped in dark, gold-colored metal. At the top, extending the staff another half-foot or so, was some sort of ring. It was made of the same dark gold metal as the cap on the bottom and roughly circular or oval in appearance. In the center there was a long, narrow shaft wrapped in dark leather that resembled a hilt. On the two outer edges of the ring rested eight small gold rings, four on each side, with a ninth dangling in between near the top. Also emerging from the top was a long spike, easily three or four inches long, and just below the spike were a pair of hollow nodes, one on each side. Naruto noticed that along the bottom part of the ring, just above where the metal met the wood, was the guild seal, engraved and fit onto the metal. (_**AN**__: See Profile for Image_)

"Wow." breathed the blonde before he asked, "What is it?"

"It's called a _shakujō_ (monk's staff), a weapon commonly carried by travelling monks or pilgrims, though several shinobi have found it quite useful in the past. It is commonly wielded as a staff, though the spike on the tip allows it to also function as a spear if necessary." explained Hyōteki, before she continued. "That's not all it is though." she reached down and grabbed the hilt-like center of the circle before pulling, causing the ring and the inch of metal beneath it to pull away from the wooden part of the staff, revealing a long, straight blade about two-and-half feet in length. The blade was single-edged, while the back was flat and slightly thicker, possibly designed for blocking, and ended in a long, narrow point obviously designed for stabbing. The metal was silver in color and seemed to gleam slightly in the light. (_**AN**__: See Profile for Image_)

"It also serves as a _shikomizue_ (sword cane). The blade is just as you ordered it Theresa-san, light and designed for speed, and the metal is augmented with silver. The spike on the back can also be used with this to provide a nasty bite on the backswing, but you should be careful with it. I also added a special seal that will prevent the blade from being unsheathed unless you channel chakra into the guild seal on the hilt, and another that will prevent the rings from rattling if you focus chakra through it." continued Hyōteki as she resheathed the sword back into the staff. "Both are made from chakra conductive metal and wood so Naruto shouldn't have a problem channeling his chakra through either." she finished as she handed the weapon to Naruto.

Naruto took a closer look at his new weapon before asking. "What are the two holes on the top for, it almost looks like something's supposed to be put in them?" questioned the blonde, indicating the two nodes near the top.

"I was actually wondering what they were for myself." agreed Tenten.

"They are slots for special gems called augmentations, or augments for short, which I will be teaching you how to make in the future Naruto-kun." answered Theresa. "When placed into a specially prepared weapon slot on a chakra conductive blade they can provide several benefits, from making the weapon sharper or faster, to wreathing it in flames or lightning when activated."

Tenten's and Hyōteki's jaws dropped at that. That kind of items would be immensely valuable for any weapon shop. The ability to customize a weapon with such unique abilities would be worth its weight in gold, not to mention the combat possibilities such items could add to a shinobi's roster. "Theresa-san, you wouldn't be willing to sell some of these augments, would you?" questioned Hyōteki calmly.

"Wanting to add them to your shop's roster, eh Hyōteki-chan," she asked with a raised eyebrow and a slight smirk before glancing at Tenten, "or perhaps your daughter's armory as well? Either way, I'm afraid my travels keep me moving too much to have time to actually create enough augments to actively sell them. Though, I have no problem with Naruto selling them once I teach him how to make them."

"Well we can talk about that after Naruto-kun learns how." agreed Hyōteki calmly

"That'll be fine, now I'll be paying for everything, and could you add a few more sets of that outfit to the bill as well." stated Theresa in her usual calm tone.

**_~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~_**

**_~~~~~~~~~~JUTSU IDENTIFICATION ~~~~~~~~~_**

**_Kenchitai_ **(Detection Field): _Unranked general skill._ This is the term used to identify the passive area that a sensor is able to detect chakra sources within without using any specific detection or awareness jutsu. The size of this area is entirely determined by the skill and ability of the sensor and improves with training, natural ability, and effort. It is incredibly varied in size, but usually takes up a roughly circular area and design. _Example_: Naruto Uzumaki, a relatively novice sensor, can detect chakra in a roughly five hundred foot radius around him, doubling it if the target is manipulating chakra in some way. The Second Tsuchikage, Mū, was considered one of the greatest sensors of all time and could detect any chakra presence over an area of several kilometers (1km = 3280ft).

**Karuta Jutsu: Gojuni no Arashi **(Playing Card Technique: Storm of Fifty-two): _C-ranked ninjutsu, requires a deck of playing cards or similar items_. One of several Karuta (playing card) techniques given to Naruto by the Sandaime. The user focuses chakra through a deck of fifty-two playing cards or similar items before throwing the into the air and performing the hand signs for this jutsu, which uses the chakra circulating through the cards to sharpen and manipulate the cards, turning them into extremely sharp, spinning blades which can be directed to launch in any direction the user wishes. The user cannot control the cards after they are launched.

_The Star_: One of Naruto's lower level combat cards, this card turns into a giant silver shuriken shaped roughly the same as a four-pointed star. The shuriken is not only of the finest quality, but has several boosts as well. It is stronger and faster than a normal shuriken, and augments its user's throw, increasing its own power. It can also return after being thrown with a slight channeling of the user's chakra.

_The Sun_: One of Naruto lower level cards, but still a potent combat card, when activated and thrown this card turns into a small fireball. When the fireball comes into contact with any object or person it detonates in a large fiery explosion. Also capable of being used as a sort of mine trap, when left lying on a surface after charging it will detonate when a new chakra source comes in contact with it or its user willingly activates it.

**_~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~_**

**_END CHAPTER 6_**

**_AN: I know I changed the timeframe for the Mizuki part, Naruto was supposed to have several hours to wait before Mizuki arrives, but I have a valid explanation. In both the anime and manga Mizuki approaches Naruto shortly after he fails, but in this fic he had to wait several hours for Naruto to leave Ichiraku's and become alone, since he couldn't trick the blonde with others around to discredit his lies. This severely cut the teme's time down, forcing it to move faster and not making Naruto wait several hours in the forest._**

_**Oh, and I'm starting a new poll for this story: Should guns be included into the Naruto-verse. If yes then they'll be pretty simple ones, like flintlocks and such. The ideas mostly for a future encounter with Reaver that I'm planning.** _


	7. Of Seals, Snakes, and Stories

**Naruto: A Seer's Fable**

**REVIEW RESPONSE:**

KitsuneNoYomeiri: If that's how you think it should be explained than that's fine, let's just leave it as they were just chakra strings. I agree that guns, if included, should be in extreme moderation, either idea could work, but I'll decide fully on what I chose to do later.

Ninja Bat Master: Interesting ideas, and to be honest I've hadn't even thought of giving the weapon a name yet.

netveiwer: I agree, I personally practiced kendo for a couple of years, and I know how hard it is to learn how to use a weapon, just learning how to properly grip and hold the sword took weeks of practice. Thanks for the pic.

Mo Eazy: Yes, the card-wielding Naruto has always been popular, exactly why I have no idea either, but I do enjoy writing this one and hopefully taking it somewhere no one's gone before. For the card abilities, yes there is some overlap between different cards but this is designed as a leveling experience. Your example of The Devil, The Empress, and Fate; Fate is the lowest level and the most commonly used, The Devil and The Empress are both much higher level saved for emergencies. As for using them in battle, you have to remember this was Naruto's first real fight; he lacks the experience to fully utilize them just yet. Next, this is not Super!Naruto, just a strong, non-stupid Naruto, and I'm sorry if I go overboard with the details at time, that's how I write. As for your notes on the harem, I fully intend to ensure that the relationship growth is relative and unique. Finally, for revealing the cards, I wanted to show the full members of a normal tarot deck, and there's still more cards revealed in the future.

_brrt_: An understandable mistake, and I think everyone agrees that the guns should be rare weapons, right now I'm leaning toward old and rare relics of the past, but I may go toward individually developed by Reaver. The staff, I've got plans for how to deal with the handseal problems. I believe you're mistaken about them not being shinobi weapons, staffs are well-known shinobi weapons both in the anime and in folk culture, for several reasons: they're extremely common and widely available, allowing for a shinobi to blend in, they're highly adaptive and deadly weapons if used correctly, and they are easily modified to hold hidden weapons.

ferduran: Two words: Anko-sensei (Wait? Does the hyphen make it count as one word or two?)

Ohmegalus: It's actually from one of the filler anime arcs. Mizuki comes back, steals some stuff, gets a curse seal, and turns into a massive man-tiger. I think they're episodes 142-147 according to the Naruto Wiki.

_To everyone else that reviewed I thank you for your time and support._

"Human Speech"

'_Human Thought'_

**"Demon/Summons Speech"**

**'_Demon/Summons Thought'_**

**Jutsu **or _Card_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Fable, or anything other than my own original ideas for this story**

**_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_**

**Chapter 7: Of Seals, Snakes, and Stories**

_(Hokage's Office)_

Hiruzen Sarutobi, Sandaime Hokage of Konohagakure, sat patiently at his desk, waiting for his next appointment to arrive. It was still early in the morning, and the person he'd summoned had returned to the village late the previous night, so he was willing to be patient and wait for her to arrive.

The large double doors that were the only official entrance to his office, though at times they were the most rarely used considering the eccentricies of some of his shinobi, suddenly slammed open revealing a young woman escorted by an Anbu in a tiger mask. She was young, no older than her mid-twenties, late twenties at the oldest, and reasonably tall, standing close to 5'7." She was an attractive young lady, with pupilless, light brown eyes and violet hair done up in a somewhat spikey ponytail, all combined it gave her a look that seemed both wild and exotic at the same time. Her choice of clothing was…provocative to say the least, barely covering her well-sized bust, hips, and curves. In fact the old kage was forced to fight down a blush even after years of exposure to the young woman's choice of fashion. She was wearing a dark orange mini-skirt with a dark blue belt, a fitted mesh bodysuit that ran went from her neck to her thighs, her hitai-ate across her forehead, a small pendant that looked like a snake fang on a thick cord rather than a chain to prevent it from being easily torn off in combat, around her neck, a wrist watch, shin guards, and a large tan overcoat that just seemed to cover all the right places. This was Anko Mitarashi, tokubetsu jounin.

"You wanted to see me, Hokage-sama." she asked respectfully, a slight hint of weary nervousness in her voice. The old Hokage was one of the few people in the village whose opinion Anko actually gave two shits about; having protected her after her snake-loving former master had abandoned her. Even so, she was tired, having only returned late the previous night from an exhausting mission and was hoping the Hokage hadn't called her in for an emergency mission. She was beat but she didn't want to have to refuse a direct assignment from the Hokage.

"At ease Anko-san, today is your day off for recovery so there will be no new mission. I simply need to discuss a few matters with you." stated the Hokage calmly, easily determining the cause of the young woman's nervousness.

Anko visibly relaxed at that and sunk into a nearby chair. "What would you like to discuss?" she asked.

The Hokage grinned slightly as he asked, "Are you still interested in becoming a jounin-sensei?" That question threw the young tokubetsu jounin for a loop, if the gob-smacked expression on her face was any indicator.

Anko herself was having trouble breathing. That was probably the last thing she'd expected to hear from the wizened, old kage. She'd wanted to become a sensei for years now, hoping to do better than her traitorous snake of a sensei had done for her, but she'd always been denied. "H-Hokage-sama, you can't be serious?" she whispered, slightly angry, thinking this was some kind of cruel joke.

"Oh I am quite serious Anko." stated the Hokage warmly, dispelling that possibility.

"B-But what about the council?" sputtered the woman, her mind instantly going to one of the two reasons she'd been refused the position in the past. The council had constantly refused to grant her a promotion to full jounin despite her qualifications, let alone take on a team of impressionable young shinobi. They always stated that she was 'a security risk.' Anko seethed at that thought, the way half the damned population of this village looked at her like she was either Orochi-teme's spy or a just waiting to cause a travesty…just like him.

"I will personally take care of that. After all, I do believe that the good council needs to be reminded just _who_ rules this village, and what's supreme authority if you can't use it once in a while?" stated the Hokage with a large smirk. The elders and certain members of the remainder of the council had been getting quite pushy lately. Promoting Anko to the rank of jounin, an action several members of the council had blocked too many times over the past few years despite the girl's skills, would be a perfect way of reminding them that he was the one in charge. That and the girl deserved this small shred of good fortune.

"And the…" she didn't finish, her left hand instinctively went to the back of her neck, where her teacher's cursed legacy marred her skin, like a tainted scar of her past.

"Ah yes, the curse seal." stated the Hokage somberly. "That is actually the other reason I've called you here. A certain…associate of mine has offered her service in assisting you. She has stated that, while she is unable to remove the seal completely, she is capable of rendering it completely powerless; turning it into nothing more than an irremovable tattoo, or perhaps a scar would be a better term. If you'd like, she said she was willing to perform the necessary procedure tomorrow afternoon." he finished calmly.

Anko's jaw had dropped and her eyes were now the size of saucers. She could finally be free. Free of that damn teme's power and legacy. Anko couldn't even begin to describe the surge of hope that was gripping at her chest, but she doubted anything this good wouldn't come at a cost. "Who is she, and what's the catch?"

The old Hokage chuckled at that, Anko was always a sharp one. "Her name is Theresa Casthania, I'm sure you've heard of her."

"The blind gypsy?" questioned Anko. The woman was well known within the village, having become a figure of mystery and speculation over the near-decade she'd been sporadically visiting the village.

"Correct, though I'd suggest you not underestimate her due to her age and handicap. In the years I've known her I've learned that it is best never to underestimate that woman's abilities." he advised getting a nod from Anko. "As for the 'catch' as it was, there is none. She has stated that she'd like you to take on her apprentice as your student, but she's stated she'd do the procedure regardless of your answer."

"Why?" asked a thoroughly confused Anko, the woman had her over a barrel and the only thing she wanted was for her to take on her student, and even then it wasn't necessary.

Sarutobi merely smiled. "Because it's what her student would want."

"Who is her student?"

"Naruto Uzumaki, I'm sure you know of him as well." answered the aged kage calmly.

Anko nodded; of course she knew of him, everyone above a certain age knew about him, the Jinchūriki of the Kyūbi no Yōko. From what she knew the kid was decent enough, just got a bad rap from having the fox sealed inside him. Guilt by association, Anko knew that feeling far too well. "Why would he want her to help me?" Anko asked quietly. As far as she knew she'd never even met the Kyūbi container, let alone done anything to make him want to help her.

The Hokage actually smiled sadly at the question. "Naruto…is a spectacularly kind young man. Due to his…condition, the boy has had to put up with more suffering than any child should, but instead of letting it harden his heart like it would to many lesser men he has emerged the better man from it. He has a strong awareness of what it means to suffer in pain or loneliness and desires to prevent it from occurring to anyone else. If he actively knew of your condition Anko, there are no doubts in either mine or Theresa's minds that he would do whatever he could to remove it." finished the old kage with no small amount of pride.

Anko on the other hand, was about five seconds from starting to cry, only her resolve and desire to protect her reputation as a grade-A hard-ass was preventing it.

"So Anko, are you willing to take Naruto on as your student?" questioned the old kage, already pretty sure of the answer.

"Hai." stated the woman with a large grin. "If this procedure of Casthania-san's works, I'll have to thank the gaki properly."

"Excellent. I'll have the papers filled out for you full promotion under my personal authority drawn up and ready for your signature tomorrow. Be here at noon for the procedure and we can finalize any other detail and you can meet Naruto on Monday for team assignments.

Anko nodded, he grin growing into a full-blown smile, the day just kept getting better. As she began to rise to leave she turned to the Hokage and asked, "Do you mind if I ask a few questions Hokage-sama?"

The Hokage nodded his head and gave her a hand motion to continue.

"Well first, Theresa-san, how exactly does she plan on dealing with the cursed seal." she asked curiously, wondering exactly what the old woman could do that others couldn't.

"Ah, that is quite a good question. In all honestly I'm not certain of the details of it myself, merely an overall idea. Theresa has been trained in the ancient arts of the seer, arts she is already passing on to Naruto and will continue to do so even as he continues his ninja training under you, as long as you don't protest." the Hokage gave her a look to which she just shrugged, she didn't have a problem with the gaki learning some skills from another person. Most clan-based students did the same thing, learning clan techniques from their families while actively training in other fields under their sensei. "Anyway, these arts allow her to see and interact with the world in ways most shinobi can't imagine. They allow a Seer to _see_ in ways far different from our own, not only witnessing the present but catch glimpses of the future. They even allow her to view and interact with a person's very soul. It is through these techniques that she plans to '_remove'_ the source of the cursed seal's power, a shard of Orochimaru's own soul."

Anko gulped at that, knowing that she actually had a piece of the bastard's soul wedged inside her made her want the damned seal gone as soon as possible. Shaking off those fears and hoping that tomorrow's procedure would be a success, she continued with her questions. "I'd also like to know the gaki's level, from what I've heard he failed his graduation exam twice before, and that his grades this time, while higher than average, weren't exactly record-breaking."

"I'm afraid there's a reason for his rather dismal performance on the previous exams. The first time he took it, Naruto knowingly failed on his own free will, believing that if the villager's though he was another Itachi, they'd redouble their efforts to weaken him, or worse, out of fear of him becoming too powerful. The second time Naruto's tests were sabotaged by the actions of a member of the teaching staff who hoped to use Naruto for his own purposes. Purposes that Naruto personally thwarted last night." Anko raised an eyebrow at this, she'd heard rumors that one of the Academy teachers had tried to turn traitor and steal the forbidden scroll but had ended up getting caught and stopped by one of the recent graduates. Rumors currently favored the Uchiha as the victor, but she guessed she now knew the truth. "As for the third exam, Naruto's scores were designed to ensure that no one accused him of cheating in an attempt to try to invalidate his graduation." explained the old kage solemnly. "Currently, Naruto has a variety of unique skills, including the use of his 'special' cards, which run the gambit from C- to S-ranked ninjutsu, genjutsu, and kinjutsu, as well as some sensor abilities. Combined with his shinobi and seer training, I'd put the boy at least at low Chūnin level in skill alone, but he lacks the experience needed to use these skills appropriately; ensuring that he gains that experience will be your responsibility."

Anko gave the old man a nod; she'd have to fully test the gaki herself to find any concrete facts, but given this info she would at least have something to go on. She could understand the kid hiding his talents, she was pretty sure she'd do the same thing given similar conditions. Though she'd have to get him to stop it as soon as he was under her wing; no student of Anko Mitarashi's was ever going to be viewed as weakling! "The gaki's going to be interesting to teach if nothing else. So will it just be me and him or will I be taking on an entire troupe?" she asked curiously.

"Just the two of you for now, though you'll probably be joining other teams for higher ranked missions until he reaches Chūnin rank. We will also have to work something out for when he's ready for the Chūnin Exams, but that can wait until later. For now you should simply focus on getting him the experience and training necessary to qualify for the Exams." stated the Hokage.

Anko nodded her head, accepting she'd have to deal with those annoying D-rank chores for a while, but it wouldn't be so bad. The gaki needed them to qualify for the Chūnin Exams, and it would leave her plenty of time to get to know the gaki better, teach him a few jutsu, work on his chakra control, etc.

"If that's all your questions Anko, then you're dismissed. Enjoy the rest of your day off and be back in my office tomorrow at noon so we can handle the seal and finish the necessary documentation. Dismissed." Anko gave the man a salute before turning to leave, a large smile on her face. The first the old kage had seen the young snake mistress wear since the fiasco with Orochimaru. The old kage was glad he'd been able to help the young woman. Reaching into his desk he removed a certain orange book, deciding he deserved a small break as reward for his hard work.

_**~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~~~~**_

_(With Naruto and Theresa) _

Konohagakure no Sato was a place that truly lived up to its name. Over two-thirds of the 'Village Hidden by the Tree Leaves,' contained within the massive stone walls, which local legend said were raised by the Sandaime Hokage himself using a powerful Earth jutsu, was covered in trees and woodlands. These wooded areas ranged from a large number of parks scattered throughout the village's main area, to the dozens of training grounds hidden either inside or directly outside the village's walls, and several stretches of simply undeveloped land. There were several reasons for this expansive greenery. The first was that the Shodaime wanted his village to remain close to nature and for it to better blend in with its forest surroundings. The man also wanted his village to be able to grow, like a sapling growing into a mighty oak, so he had ensured that Konoha's walls would stretch far beyond their current needs. The shinobi of Konoha had taken advantage of this vast amount of space in several ways. Several clan compounds were situated in the woods, hidden slightly away from the rest of the village to provide them with space and privacy. The Inuzuka and Aburame were the most well-known of these clans, using the large patches of woods surrounding their compounds to raise their respective animal companions in relative peace and isolation, along with the Naras who used the undeveloped lands to raise their deer. Overall, the village had probably doubled in size since its founding, but still over a full third of the land within the walls remained completely unclaimed, left to grow without any major interference from the village. The only attention most of these unclaimed areas of forest received were a routine Anbu patrol to ensure no dangerous wildlife had somehow gotten into the village and the occasion hiker or shinobi seeking an isolated place to train or study.

While some would say having so much open space would be a security risk, the forests surrounding the edges of the village were also well defended, having several traps hidden throughout the forest edges on both sides of the wall, as well as sections of the wall itself, all designed to either detain or destroy anyone foolish enough to attempt to enter the village by jumping or climbing the wall. These edges were also heavily patrolled by the village Anbu, trained to move and patrol the wooded areas without being noticed. These defenses, combined with an advanced sensor-based _kekkai_ (barrier) ninjutsu that surrounds the village, made it nearly impossible for someone to sneak into the village using the forests as cover.

Currently we find the two seers walking through an unclaimed area of the massive forest, up the slight incline of a large hill near the village's northeastern border. Leading the way was Theresa, her steps so sure and strong that one who did not know her would be forced to question if the woman was truly as old and blind as she appeared. Following close behind her young apprentice, now dressed in his new uniform, busied himself practicing sealing and unsealing his new weapon. From what Hyōteki had shown him the gloves Theresa had chosen for his uniform each had a small storage seal sewn into the lining of the palms. They weren't very powerful, each only able to hold a single weapon, but were extremely useful for shinobi who practiced both weapons combat and ninjutsu. With practice, the seals would allow him to seal and unseal his weapon nearly instantly, thus allowing him to quickly free his hands to perform ninjutsu while being able to quickly redraw his weapon as needed.

Unsealing his weapon once again, and deciding to use it as a walking stick to help him keep his balance on the increasingly steep hillside. "Hey Baa-chan, where are we going?" asked the blonde curiously, deciding to break the silence.

"Why to see your surprise of course Naruto-kun." answered Theresa as she ducked under a low hanging tree branch.

"Oh." stated an unsatisfied blonde, "How much longer till we get there?"

"Not long now, it rests at the top of this hill. Would you like to hear a story as we walk, I have one well-suited for this occasion." answered the aged seer, already knowing the blonde's answer.

"Sure!" exclaimed a now happy Naruto, even after all this time, he still loved listening to Theresa's stories. "So who's the hero in this one?"

"There is no hero in this story Naruto-kun, but rather a bit of history, the History of Heroes." answered Theresa calmly as she cleared her throat and began. "Long ago, when the ancient lands of Albion were still young, there lived a great darkness known only as The Court of Shadows, a trio of dangerous and powerful beings from a place known only as the Void, a realm that existed both beyond and beside our own. The Court had come to our world seeking dominance over its people, demanding that they bow down in obedience. The people refused, and in turn, Albion was burned until the earth was as black as the smoke that filled the sky. Once again, the Court demanded total obedience, and again they were refused. The result was the raising of the sea into the sky and the flooding of the world. After this next disaster, The Court asked for worship again, this time promising peace, but met the same result. Angry at being refused by lesser beings, the Court twisted the minds of the people of Albion until the entire land was insane. Finally, after many years of suffering, the people bowed down. The Court had won.

"For many years The Court ruled over Albion with a dark and heavy hand, until the day a man was born to stop them. This man was William Black, the First Hero. William was the son of a simple blacksmith, but as he grew, he began to display abilities that no normal man could hope to possess. He possessed the strength of many men, and could shrug off blows that would fell any other. He could run and leap like stag in the forests and fire an arrow that would cut through a fly's wings at a thousand paces. Finally he could perform feats that no human could ever hope to accomplish, calling down lightning or conjuring flames, by merely focusing his will and mind. He came to call these powers…"

"The powers of Strength, Skill, and Will." finished a grinning Naruto

Theresa chuckled and nodded. "Correct Naruto-kun. As William grew older, word of his amazing abilities soon reached the ears of The Court. Hearing of William's powers and fearing him as a threat to their dominion, they dispatched the weakest member of the three, known as the Knight of Blades, was sent to eliminate him and his family. The Knight soon arrived at the small village named Bowerstone, the home of the Black family. With neither mercy nor regret, the Knight slew William's father in cold blood, burning the blacksmith and his shop to the ground with a single stroke of power. Young William, who had been gone at the time, returned to see the monstrous Knight standing over the ruins of his home, his father's burnt skull held in the monster's hand. The sight sent young William into a murderous rage and he leapt at the creature in a blind fury. Their battle was fierce and turned most of the village into ruins, until the battle came to a close, the Knight believing he'd killed young William and William himself buried beneath the ruins of a building, gravely wounded but still alive.

"After that day, young William grew obsessed with destroying The Court, ending their tyranny over Albion and avenging his father. One night, while consulting a mysterious tome, he was suddenly pulled from Albion and into the Void. There he met the second member of The Court; Jack of Blades, who sat on a throne surrounded by figures seemingly pulled out of nightmares. Jack tried to enslave William with the power of a mystical, ornate sword he carried at his side, but William fought back and managed to steal the sword before escaping the netherworld. Back in Albion the sword spoke to William. It called itself the Sword of Aeons, and it promised to help him defeat the Court, but only if William offered his soul in bondage. William accepted the bargain and, with the Sword of Aeons belted at his side, set off to end the Court once and for all.

"William scaled the peak of Ruon, Albion's highest mountain, and challenged the Court to combat. The Knight of Blades appeared first, determined to finish what he had begun, but young William was no longer the same. No longer maddened by his rage and grief and wielding the Sword of Aeons, William destroyed him completely, ending him in a burst of flames similar to what the creature had used to kill William's own father. Next the Jack of Blades appeared. They fiercely stuck at one another, blade clashing against blade, until William broke Jack's body, cleaving his masked head from his shoulders with a single powerful stroke. However, unknown to most, Jack was not truly slain, and Jack's soul escaped being drawn back into the Void by taking refuge in his mask. The final and mightiest member of The Court, the Queen of Blades was the last to face William. For weeks their battle raged across Albion. Mountains were raised and valleys were formed by their mighty blows. At last, William slew the Queen, piercing the creature's mask with the Sword of Aeons, and freed the people from their yoke. They acclaimed William, who now took the title Archon, as their king.

"Once he had vanquished The Court, the Archon set his mind to unifying Albion into a great kingdom. His powers of Will were so great that it seemed the world reshaped itself in accordance with his wishes. Cities were built in a week's time and marvelous machines were constructed that ran on Will alone. Through a thousand years of peace, Albion reigned as the greatest center of commerce and philosophy the world had ever known. The Archon had many descendants during this age of fortune, all of whom shared his powerful abilities through his bloodline. These descendants were also called Archons."

"So William had a kekkai genkai?" asked the young blonde. "Does that mean that all the Heroes of Albion were descendants of William Black?"

"Basically, yes. William's powers were passed down through his blood, so they would be classified as a kekkai genkai. As for the Heroes of old Albion, Williams blood passed through many people over the centuries, so it is quite possible that all the heroes of old were related to him in some way or another, though distantly at best. They were only able to draw on partial aspects of William's power, only drawing on single aspect of Strength, Skill, or Will. Only his direct descendants, those linked directly to his blood, could call upon all three." answered Theresa as she returned to her tale,

"But without an enemy to vanquish, the Archons grew petty and cruel. They called themselves Heroes and used their powers of Will to terrorize the people. The first Archon might have stopped them, but his battle with the Queen and his time in the Void had infected his body and mind with a wasting illness. Faced with this decay, William wrapped his body in golden mail and a royal blue cloak before vanishing. Thus began the corruption of The Kingdom. A descendant of the Archon later constructed a great tower that stretched thousands of feet into the sky. This tower was named the Spire, and it had the power to grant wishes. As soon as the spire was completed, the Archon made a single wish that wiped clean the corrupt world to make way for a 'purer' one. With that final action of pride and foolishness The Old Kingdom came to an end, the sky was filled with a sudden bright light, and all Albion shook. In the morning the tower was gone and the Old Kingdom lay in ruins. All of its people were gone, except for those who lived beyond the walls of the great cities, free from the corruption that had filled them.

"The few villages that survived the disappearance of the Spire fell into isolation. Distance bred suspicion, which grew into bloodshed. Villagers fought for food, land, livestock, fresh water and eventually women of child-bearing age. Mercenaries sold their swords to the highest bidder and fought in a series of petty squabbles. If the mercenaries didn't like the price being offered, they extracted payment by threatening the villagers. Human scavengers poked through the ruins of the Old Kingdom. What they found they did not understand and priceless artifacts were cast aside or traded as trinkets. Finally the forest grew over the ruins, and it was as if the rich heritage of Old Albion had never been. The population dwindled, and those who survived would awaken each day to a darker world. There seemed that there was no safe haven left in the world. Hope faded as bandits stole and murdered with impunity. The people, starving, scoured the land for food and fresh water, but as the years passed there was less of each to find. The six major city states were reduced to five, due to an egotistic merchant allowing one, now nameless, city to be destroyed in exchange for power and wealth, thus turning it into a massive ruin known only as the Necropolis. Crazed prophets preached that the end of the world was at hand. Then, out of the east, hope arrived in the most unexpected form. A bandit and mercenary by the name of Nostro came forth, pledging to bring peace and prosperity to Albion.

"In his youth, Nostro was a bandit and mercenary, driven by an ambition to leave his mark on the world. He was a giant of a man, who was not at ease without a sword in his iron grip. However, he was not without a sense of decency, but didn't reach full potential until he met a wise old man named Scythe. He seemed to appear out of nowhere and took a profound interest in Nostro - for he saw something in Nostro, something more than a mere bandit. Nostro, unknowingly, possessed the power that only the Archon's direct descendants shared, the powers of Strength, Skill, and Will held in single form."

"So Nostro was a direct descendant of William Black?" questioned Naruto

Theresa merely nodded as she continued her tale, "So, Scythe hatched a plan: if he could properly guide Nostro, this bandit could achieve great things. He might even once again unite Albion and undo the damage done by the first Archon and his children. And so Scythe began to tutor Nostro in how to be a leader of men.

"Following Scythe's counsel, Nostro set about returning security and prosperity to Albion. First, he gathered men and women from throughout Albion who possessed part of the same spark and established the Guild, where they could train to become true Heroes. Meanwhile Scythe tutored Nostro in the ways of Will. Using his new found power, along with Scythe's sage counsel, Nostro forced peace on the warring people of Albion. And thus, the Guild of Heroes was born. For a time, it seemed that Albion might return to its former greatness, but those hopes were in vain. Despite Scythe's teachings, Nostro increasingly fell under the sway of a power-hungry courtesan named Magdalena. In time, she corrupted Nostro to the point where the Arena, intended to be a venue in which anyone could settle disputes in public, was debased into a source of popular entertainment and the Heroes' Guild became nothing more than a house of mercenaries driven by lust for profit and fame. These developments disgusted Scythe, who could only watch as Nostro and the Guild fell into disrepute. Finally he vanished, leaving Nostro to his fate.

"Near the end of his life, Nostro could finally see how power had corrupted him, and how far short he had fallen of his youthful ideas. By then his followers and even his wife had long since abandoned him. Isolated, he was easy prey for an assassin who slipped poison into his food. Nostro knew that he was dying. He called out for Scythe, and his old mentor came to sit vigil with him in his final hours. Scythe sat remembering with warm affection the good things Nostro had done in his life and forgiving his fallen student for his foolishness. Finally, at peace with himself, Nostro died with the dawn's first light. Scythe disappeared shortly thereafter, but even with the death of its first leader the Guild continued to thrive and lived on. For a time, the Guild remained as it was; a place of disrepute, where mercenaries claiming to be Heroes took jobs from the highest bidders, until a new hero emerged.

"Weaver, a young member of the Heroes' Guild, saw how far the guild had fallen from its lofty goals, becoming nothing more than a den of greedy, power-hungry mercenaries. Together with a cluster of fellow Heroes who believed in the old ways, they rebelled against the previous Guild regime, and its resolution of offering only _'virtuous'_ quests. Much blood was spilled in this short revolt in the name of freedom, leaving the number of Heroes, already rare in a world where Black's blood was already beginning to dim, at its lowest for centuries. Once again Scythe reappeared and proposed Weaver as the new Guildmaster, seeing in the young rebel the serene and impartial man he would become, someone who would leave the moral destiny of all future acolytes in their own hands. Under his leadership, Heroes were free to align themselves however they wished.

"Time went on and new Heroes came and went and the people of Albion lived in relative peace - that is until the evil being Jack of Blades reappeared, searching for his sword, the Sword of Aeons, which was stored within the Guild, said to have been hidden there by Scythe himself. He used Maze, a Hero who fought beside Weaver in the rebellion and had a life-debt to Jack since he saved a young Maze's life, to extract information about the sword. It was soon discovered that in order to acquire the sword one needed an artifact called the 'Septimal Key' and blood from the royal blood-line of the Old Kingdom. Jack told Maze to organize a raid against the small town of Oakvale, where members of the blood-line could be found. There the former Heroine and Arena Champion Scarlet Robe was kidnapped by Jack, her daughter, was blinded and left in the woods, only to be adopted by bandits who were, at the time, led by a former hero known as Twinblade. The youngest son, however, survived the raid undiscovered until Maze found him and saved his life from bandits. In this young boy Maze saw a way to confront Jack and maybe stop the evil he had been twisted into once and for all. Thus began the story of…"

"The Hero of Oakvale." whispered the blonde.

"Ah, yes. I have told you his story before, haven't I?" stated Theresa thoughtfully. "Anyway, after his adventures and with the threat posed by Jack was now gone forever, the Guild now thrived and grew once more. They even appointed a new Guildmaster. However, the people of Albion had begun growing more and more suspicious of the Guild and its Heroes. They grew weary of some Heroes' arrogance, some believing they were above the law and without equal. With Jack gone, people thought that Heroes were no longer needed. One day a mob of villagers attacked the Guild. With the element of surprise, superior numbers, the newly invented weapons and the hesitation of most Heroes to attack the people they had sworn to protect, they managed to successfully destroy the Guild. The surviving Heroes fled into the woods and the Guild was no more. Through the passage of time, what was left of the Guild sank into the ground and was buried beneath what would become Bower Lake. The underground tomb would lie untouched, save for a few explorers who never unearthed its secrets, until a young man came in search of the Chamber of Fate."

"The Hero of Bowerstone." stated the blonde with an even wider grin, remembering another of his favorite heroes.

Theresa once again nodded her head, "Yes, the young Sparrow, you know his story all too well don't you Naruto-kun. After completing his journey, he was named King of Albion, and once again an Archon sat upon the throne."

"Hey Bāchan, you've said before that Nostro and the Hero of Oakvale were a direct descendants of William Black, and the Hero of Bowerstone was related to him to. Doesn't that mean that all three of them were related?" asked a curious Naruto.

Theresa nodded her head, smiling slightly at her apprentice's understanding. "That is correct Naruto-kun. Nostro was actually the great grandfather of the Hero of Oakvale, who in turn was the direct ancestor of the Hero of Bowerstone, making all three descendants of the First Hero."

"That sounds like an amazing family." whispered the now awed blonde.

"In some ways yes, the blood of William Black holds great power and potential but only to those with the heart and will to bring it forth. While their family line gave them the power to begin their destinies, it was through their own actions, efforts, and decisions that brought them to completion. Always remember Naruto-kun, blood and ancestry does not make one better than others, but only provides advantages and disadvantages. And any advantage or disadvantage can be surpassed or overcome if one is willing to work for it." stated the elder seer sagely.

Naruto nodded his head resolutely in understanding; it was just like the clans. Being born in a shinobi clan gave a lot of his classmates some advantages, either in the form of special training or a bloodline, but in the end it was hard work that made them strong. That was what Naruto believed, and he'd fight tooth and nail to prove it right. Suddenly another thought struck him. "Wait, if the Hero of Bowerstone was a direct descendant of William Black, and the Princess was his daughter; then that means that the Hero of Brightwall was also a direct descendant of William Black's." breathed out the blonde in awe.

Theresa nodded her head once again, "Correct again, Naruto-kun, but let's continue our tale with her. After all, our journey nears its end, and our story is close to its conclusion." getting a nod from the blonde, Theresa continued her tale, "After her victory over the Crawler, the young Queen and her descendants ruled over Albion for many years to come. However, like all kingdoms, no matter how great or small, hers eventually came to an end." stated Theresa somberly.

"What happened?" asked an eager Naruto.

"No one is exactly sure. All that is known is a great disaster struck the lands of Albion. This disaster was like none seen since the coming of The Court of Shadows, a disaster that ended the Age of Heroes once and for all. It completely destroyed the Kingdom of Heroes, killing most of its populace and leveling all of its cities, leaving only rare and scattered ruins behind to show that the age had ever existed. The remnants of the Kingdom were forced to rebuild and adapt, forced to change in order to survive in the harsh new lands they found themselves in, lands that had changed greatly with the coming of the disaster. Over time, the lands settled into an age of war and despair, with many would be kings and leaders seeking to unite the lands under their own rule. The era of war and destruction seemed destined to continue forever until a new hero emerged." Theresa gave the blonde a grin. "This one you may have heard of from stories outside my own, this hero was known as the _Rikudō Sennin_ (Sage of Six Paths). Through his actions the world was changed yet again, and the Age of the Shinobi had begun."

Naruto's mouth dropped at the implications of that remark. He'd heard legends about the Rikudō Sennin from Hokage-ojīsan. That meant that…. "Baa-chan, you mean that…that…Albion was really real?" he'd always believed that Bāchan's stories were just that, stories. But if what she was saying was really true, then that meant those same stories could be true.

"All stories have their basis in facts somewhere, Naruto-kun. And to answer your question I think my surprise will speak for itself." stated the aged seer with a calm smile as she pushed away a final layer of bushes and ushered the blond to follow.

Stepping through the bushes Naruto found himself in a large clearing. It was about thirty feet wide in diameter, a clean circle comprising the majority of the hilltop, surrounded by trees and thick bushes on all sides but completely clear of greenery within that circle, save for a carpet of short grass. It almost looked man-made, but what drew Naruto's attention was the object resting at the very center of the clearing.

It looked like a dais or a pedestal made completely out of a single massive piece of black stone. Its base rose a few feet above ground level, with the outer edges giving way to a short set of steps to allow someone to easily walk up to the central portion. The central portion itself was a wide circle about six feet in diameter, with the black rock polished smooth and the Guild Symbol, the same symbol that adorned the center of the medallion Naruto wore across his chest, carved into the dark stone. Rising up from the circle's outer edge at each of the four ordinal directions was a large pillar of black stone, slightly curved across the back with the front completely smooth and flat, save for a single circular indentation near the top, and each standing at least ten feet high.

Naruto instantly recognized it from the stories, but was having trouble bringing the words to bear. "A…ah…A C-Cullis Gate." whispered the blonde his voice mingling shock and awe as he stared at the ancient relic with unblinking eyes.

Theresa merely nodded her head. "The last of its kind, if I'm not mistaken." intoned the seer. "If my research is correct, which I'm quite certain it is, this one once stood proudly at Bowerstone's northern gate, meaning Konoha was built over its ruins. Since the time of William Black, Bowerstone has always been at the center of great things, perhaps due to some innate magic or power of the land itself. Maybe that is what drew the Shodaime Hokage to form his village on this spot."

"This proves it was all real." stated the stunned blonde as he clutched his medallion with new reverence, his eyes never leaving the gate. "Heroes, the Guild, Albion. This proves they were all real!"

"To you and I it may, but others may not be so quick to believe." stated Theresa sadly. "They will see only a relic of the past, nothing more than a pile of stones."

Naruto was saddened by that thought, but his curiosity and excitement quickly overcame that small bit of depression. "Bāchan, can I…?" he questioned.

Theresa nodded, "Of course, Naruto-kun. That is the reason I brought you here after all." she answered calmly, a small smile crossing her weathered features.

Naruto didn't need to be told twice. The blonde teenager quickly approached the Gate, his eyes roving over it as he circled around, trying to memorize every single detail of the ancient structure. After walking a full circle twice around it, the blonde sent another look to his foster grandmother, asking permission to do something more. Theresa merely smiled and gestured for him to go on. Returning his attention to the Cullis Gate, Naruto took in a deep breath before taking the first step onto one of the stairs leading to the central circle.

Slowly, savoring each step as images of the great Heroes who once walked across these same steps crossed his mind, the blonde made his way to the center, until something incredible happened. The second the blonde's foot struck the central point of the large carving of the Guild Seal, the entire central portion of the Gate exploded in swirling white energy. The blonde tried to leap away from the suddenly swirling energies, but found his feet somehow glued to the, now glowing, stone of the gate. Seconds after the Gate had exploded into light, his Guild Seal medallion, which was now resting openly against his chest over his kimono, bean to glow as well, shedding bright golden light that was quickly mirrored by the Guild Seal carved into the base of the Cullis Gate.

"Bāchan," shouted a slightly panicked Naruto, "what's happening?"

"So it is just as I believed." stated the aged seer calmly as she slowly approached the Cullis Gate.

Naruto's eyes widened and he gulped a little at that. His mind suddenly turned to one of his least favorite stories, The Origin of the Hero of Bowerstone, where Lucien lured both Sparrow and Rose to his castle, before killing Rose when the his test showed they held the blood of the First Hero. Panic began to well in the blonde's chest at the thought of his mentor was attempting a similar strategy.

Theresa seemed to notice the blonde's unease, before she began to chuckle slightly. "You needn't worry Naruto-kun, I have no plans to mimic Mad Lucien this day." she stated calmly.

That calmed the blonde down a bit. When his bāchan had first started being able to read his mind, the blonde had freaked out a little, but Theresa-bāchan merely told him she knew how he thought and could read him well. Now it was actually quite comforting having someone who knew him so well. Taking a deep breath to calm himself down, and trying to ignore the swirling lights that now surrounded him, he asked, "What's going on Baa-chan? What did you believe?"

"Ah, now that is the question Naruto-kun. You see the Cullis Gates are ancient devices, carved in the early days of the Old Kingdom. Designed to allow the Archons swift movement across their realm, but William hid a secondary purpose within their stones. William knew that his kingdom may one day crumble; either due to his death at the hands of the wasting sickness or the machination of others, and when that day came his heirs would be forced to either flee or hide their powers. Over time, their strength could wax and wane, and eventually be fully submerged into dormancy. So in the crafting of these gates he hid the power to awaken his sleeping blood, to awaken the bloodline of the Archons." explained Theresa sagely as she finally came to a rest at the base of the Gate's steps.

That caused the blonde's eyes to widen once again, "You mean…I am…?" he couldn't even voice it.

"Yes." nodded Theresa, her voice deepening and strengthening as she spoke. "You, Naruto Uzumaki, are the last heir to William Black. Descendant of Nostro, founder of the Hero's Guild, the Heroes of Oakvale, Bowerstone, and Brightwall, and final heir to the throne of Albion."

"That…that can't be. I mean I can't be..." breathed Naruto, unable to comprehend himself being related to such legendary figures, not to mention being a prince. Granted, it was prince to a now destroyed empire, but still!

"You are Naruto-kun, I sensed the power of the Archons sleeping inside of you when we first met those seven short years ago." answered Theresa calmly.

"Why…why didn't you tell me sooner?" questioned the blonde.

"I was unsure. Even my senses and abilities are not infallible, and I did not wish to raise your hopes without proof." she smiled softly as her empty blue eyes seemed to stare at the Cullis Gate, one hand gently stroking one of the stone pillars. "This Cullis Gate is the reason that brought me to Konoha when we first met, and now it is the way I can prove what you are, and awaken your final gift."

"My final gift?" questioned the blonde.

"Yes, you were right when you compared Black's abilities to a bloodline, for that is exactly what the people of the world would now classify it as. I've taken to calling it the Archon bloodline, in honor of your ancestor's title. Sadly, it has been sleeping too long for it to awaken on its own. Still, all that it needs to awaken again is a little push, which the Cullis Gate is now providing." she finished with a small smile, before her face became grim. "Now awaken the powers of STRENGTH…" she shouted the final word in a command.

The swirling maelstrom of white light within the Gate was suddenly lit with streams of bright red.

"…SKILL…" boomed the aged seer again.

Now the lights included streamers of bright yellow.

"…AND WILL!"

Finally strands of bright blue energy joined the now multicolored array, giving it a beautiful, kaleidoscopic appearance. Naruto let loose a deafening roar as he felt the energy surrounding him start to suffuse into his form. It was both painful and exhilarating at the same time, like someone had lit him on fire while throwing him into a warm bath at the same time. It was unlike anything the blonde had ever felt in his life.

In a final explosion of light and energy, the swirling vortex collapsed, leaving a panting Naruto who promptly dropped to his knees.

"Bāchan," the blonde manage to pant out between heavy breaths, "I feel really tired right now." he managed as he fell forward, bracing his hands against the ground to keep himself from falling flat on his face

Theresa only smiled as she sat next to him on the gate's surface. "Then rest, Naruto-kun." she whispered soothingly. "You have been through a great deal this day. For now simply rest and we will visit Sarutobi-kun when you are well."

Naruto didn't even respond, he simply collapsed into a peaceful rest atop the warm stones of the ancient Cullis Gate.

Theresa only smiled while she stroked her young wards hair as he slept, comfortable in the knowledge that her family's legacy now lives on.

**_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_**

**END CHAPTER 7**

**READ AND REVIEW**


	8. The End of a Curse

**Naruto: A Seer's Fable**

**REVIEW RESPONSE:**

Ragnarok Warrior: Thanks, the Cullis Gate was inspired by how the Hero of Fable II had his powers awoken in a similar manner; I just thought it would be the best way to give Naruto his bloodline. As for the inconsistency with the timeline, that was my mistake. I though Weaver's rebellion happened shortly after Nostro's fall, so I wrote appropriately. Anyway the key point of it was the three are direct relative, great, great, great grandfathers and grandsons respectively. As for your suggestion, that is entirely possible.

cjonbloodletter: Thanks, and yeah I have plans for Reaver making an appearance or two in the future, just nothing really set in stone yet.

Ninja bat master: Sorry for the delay, job hunt is really eating away at my righting time. Suggestions Response: 1) Sorry, but I really like the Kurenai X Asuma pairing. 2) Interesting idea, I've had some similar thoughts but we'll see how it develops. 3) Interesting idea.

Narudevilfan: He'll utilize all three of the aspects, though Strength and Skill are a lot harder to show progress than Will.

Ex10: Fable I was for Xbox while Fable II and III are for the Xbox 360.

Servent Satsujinki: The other immortals will probably make appearances, though when and how I will not say. Theresa will serve the same role she did in the games, a shadowy guide who helps lead the hero down his path, her own motives hidden if not completely unknown. I have some ideas for The Tattered Spire, but they won't be coming until much later.

Omegalus: Thanks, and you'll just have to wait and see on the bloodline. And I can understand, I haven't had the chance to watch most of the Shippuden anime due to work, school, and now the job hunt, but I have been able to keep up with the manga.

pegp: More along the lines he's gained the ability to level up a lot faster.

Undeen: Excellent points involving the guns. My basic idea for guns is list below and I want everyone's opinion.

Wrathchylde: You definitely should, it's an awesome series of games if you're into RPGs like me.

_To everyone else that reviewed I thank you for your time and support._

"Human Speech"

'_Human Thought'_

**"Demon/Summons Speech"**

**'_Demon/Summons Thought'_**

**Jutsu **or _Card_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Fable, or anything other than my own original ideas for this story**

_**GUNS**_: This is just something I wanted to get everyone's opinion on. So far my idea for guns is as follows:

The three main categories of guns for the Fable series: Flintlock, Turret, and Clockwork, all exist in the Narutoverse, but in different stages of rarity. Flintlock guns are the most common, capable of being produced by most weapon-smiths who have had some training in crafting firearms. Specialized divisions in most nations' armies carry Flintlock Rifles as mid-range weapons and Pistols are a common weapon for soldiers when enemies get into ranges too close for bows, but still out of blade's reach, though most are only good for a single use. Some bandits or local militia are capable of getting their hands on them, but most nations have merchants forbidden from being sold to the direct populace, making them a hot black-market item. Due to their relatively slow firing speed and bulky nature, most trained shinobi are capable of dodging Flintlock guns before they're fired. (A Flintlock takes several seconds to level, aim, and fire in even the most well trained user's hands, speeds that a ninja can easily avoid), and they lack the penetration power to pierce most Samurai armor and can even be deflected by ninja chain-mesh or flack armor if hit from a long enough distance.

Turret guns are the second rarest, and are much rarer and harder to produce, requiring a skilled smith trained in their production, as well as difficult to maintain. Turret Rifles are usually carried by elite guards for important locations, while Turret Pistols are carried by high-ranking members of the military as a sign of rank or by wealthy merchants or nobles with enough influence and money to afford a costly bit of self-protection. While more dangerous than Flintlocks, Turret guns still pose relatively little threat to shinobi, but in a skilled hand they are capable of being dangerous, especially to lower ranked shinobi. The increased rate of fire and firing speed can catch a shinobi off guard long enough for them to suffer at least some damage, though any trained shinobi should be fast enough to at least avoid a life-threatening wound as long as they are not caught off-guard.

Finally, Clockwork guns are the rarest known, hard to maintain and extremely difficult to produce, requiring an extremely skilled smith trained and a great deal of time. Clockwork Rifles and Pistols are usually only found in the hand of elite soldiers tasked with protecting either a Daimyo or someone of similar rank or importance. In a skilled hand a clockwork gun's speed and firing rate can be deadly to a shinobi, even a Jounin is capable of being at least wounded by a skilled-enough wielder carrying a Clockwork Pistol or Rifle.

Other gunpowder based weapons, cannons and similar weaponry, exists in the Narutoverse, but is extremely uncommon.

It is important to note that training and skill in handling a Gun is just as important in calculating a fight as the type of gun wielded. A skilled gunman armed with a Flintlock is much more dangerous than an amateur with little to no training wielding a Clockwork firearm, and is much more of a threat to a shinobi than normal. Their level of danger to a shinobi implies that the wielder has equal skills to match the rarity of their weapon. I.E: Flintlocks = basic training, Turret = skilled training, and Clockwork = expert training. It is also worth noting that guns have not replaced bows and arrows as the primary ranged weapons. Even the best Clockwork rifle's range is less than a quarter of a bow's and any soldiers require at least twice as much training to wield a Flintlock Rifle as a bow and arrow. Added to that is the expense of creating gunpowder and bullets, compared to the inexpensive costs of crafting arrows. Combined these traits make guns a marginal weapon in the shinobi world.

Guns are rarely wielded by shinobi. The noise created by their use runs counter to a shinobi's purpose, though some skilled fūinjutsu experts can create specialized seals designed to muffle this noise. The fact of the matter is a kunai, armed with an exploding tag, is much more dangerous, requires much less maintenance, and can be more easily produced than any firearm.

NOTE: This is just a preview. IT CAN AND WILL BE CHANGED IF I GET A BETTER IDEA.

**_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_**

**Chapter 8: The End of a Curse**

_(Hokage's Office, later that day)_

Naruto was tired. Scratch that, the teenage shinobi was completely exhausted. Who knew awakening an ancient bloodline with the help of a legendary artifact could be so exhausting?

Theresa-bāchan had let him rest for a couple of hours after the 'Gate Incident,' but she was forced to awaken him so they could get to their meeting with the Hokage on time. The walk back was longer than he remembered, mostly because every muscle in his body was now aching. Bāchan had said it was a side-effect of the energies of the Gate suffusing into him in order to awaken his bloodline, whatever the hell that meant, and that he'd be fine with a good night's rest. He'd managed to get through having his identification photo taken; managing to at least get a half-way decent pose out of it, and now Hokage-ojīsan was now talking about some stuff involving him and some weird law called the CRA. Naruto really didn't care right now. He was sore, tired and the only reason he was still standing happened to be staff he was now leaning on, any stupid laws could wait until tomorrow. He could always have bāchan or ojīsan give him the highlights.

He was about two or three seconds from learning if he could really fall asleep while standing up when the door to the office slammed open, breaking the blonde from his exhaustion-induced trance. A shout of, "TIME TO DIE OLD MAN!" followed by the launch of a four-foot rocket directly into the room completely destroyed any hopes of a quick nap the blonde carried. The missile, which turned out to be a kid of about ten or so years, was dressed in a yellow shirt with the Konoha symbol in red, grey shorts, a ridiculously long blue scarf, and the weirdest helmet the blonde had ever seen with a large hole in the top allowing a spike of dark brown hair to show. The ten-year-old missile, currently wielding a wooden training kunai, gave what one could only guess was supposed to be a frightening war cry before launching himself at the aged kage…only to promptly fall flat on his face less than halfway to the desk.

The room was promptly filled with complete and utter silence, the only sounds were those of the sweat-drops slowly sliding down the back of Naruto's and the Hokage's scalps. Theresa merely stood silently, a small grin gracing her weathered lips.

"Owww." moaned the child as he picked himself up to all fours before suddenly leaping to his feet and shouting, "Who tripped me!" quickly scanning the room the child's eyes promptly fell onto Naruto before he pointed an accusing finger at the blonde while proclaiming, "It was you wasn't it? Admit it. You tripped me!"

Naruto was now annoyed, exhaustion-induced irritability now making itself known. "From where I'm standing it looks like the only thing that tripped you was your own two feet gaki." responded the blonde icily.

"SHUT UP!" screamed said gaki, as he rushed the blonde, clumsily swinging his practice kunai.

Naruto easily side-stepped the toy-weapon, before…

_*THWAK*_

With a twist and flip of his wrist the blonde brought his staff to bear, directly against the younger boy's helmeted noggin.

The kid was now on the floor, lying on his belly and moaning while his hands tried to rub his aching head through his helmet. Naruto absently began tapping his staff back against his shoulder before stating, "You should really learn some manners kid; attacking people just 'cause they talk back won't earn you many friends."

Before any response could be made a new, slightly frantic, voice came floating into the room from the hallway. "Honorable Grandson? Honorable Grandson where are you?" shouted the voice, before its producer entered the room. The man was close to six feet tall, wearing a standard Konoha shinobi outfit, albeit without the flak jacket, his forehead protector was wrapped around his head like a bandanna completely covering his hair, and his eyes were covered by a pair of unusually large, round sunglasses. As he entered the room he pronounced, "Honorable Grandson, please tell me you're not in here bothering your grandfather again. We have important training to…" his voice trailed off when he noticed the scene in front of him. The brat, who Naruto could only assume was said 'Honorable Grandson,' lying on the floor, rubbing his head at the feet of Konoha's least favorite blonde. Glaring from behind his shades the man quickly yelled out. "You! What do you think you're doing to Hokage-sama's Honorable Grandson!?"

"The Hokage's Honorable what now?" questioned the blonde tossing a look at the old man sitting behind the desk. Said old man gave a brief nod in confirmation.

'_I knew it, this guy's just like all the rest of them.'_ thought said Honorable Grandson from his position on the floor. The boy quickly sat up before shouting, "That's right! I'm Konohamaru Sarutobi, Grandson of Hiruzen Sarutobi the Great Sandaime Hokage, so you better show me some respect! I'll tell you what, if you get on your knees and start begging me for forgiveness I just might grant it." proclaimed the, now identified, Konohamaru pompously, used to people crawling over themselves to keep him happy

Naruto gave the young Sarutobi a brief look before…

*_THWAK_*

"OWWW!" screamed Konohamaru, now, once again, lying on the ground nursing his noggin after a second, harder, strike from Naruto's staff.

"I could care less if you were _his_ Grandmother. Respect is earned gaki, not given out just because your gramps is a great man." stated the blonde as he leveled his staff back against his shoulder before turning to the Hokage and stating. "You mind if we pick this up later jīsan? I'm really too tired and annoyed right now to just stand around and listen to you describe some weird law." requested the blonde.

"That's fine Naruto, stop by sometime Monday before team assignments and I'll give you the complete rundown again." stated the old kage tiredly.

The blonde gave a nod of acceptance before walking out the door, completely ignoring the shouting idiot who currently had his jaw resting against the floor, right next to where the so-called 'Honorable Grandson' was lying moaning and gripping his head.

It took nearly ten minutes for the newest arrival to overcome his shock. "That…that…INSOLENT LITTLE PUNK!" screamed the sunglasses wearing shinobi. "How dare he raise his hand against Hokage-sama's Honorable Grandson! TWICE!" the man visibly tried to calm himself before turning his attention to the rest of the room. "Honorable Grandson you should be sure not to associate yourself with riff-raff like that. People such as him will only cause trouble before leading themselves and those around them to destruction. All one can do is try to avoid and distance themselves from them and try not to get drawn down with them." stated the man as he nodded at his own wisdom.

"What an _interesting_ way to describe a boy I see as one of my own Ebisu." growled out the Hokage, reminding the now identified Ebisu of his presence.

Ebisu gulped before paling rapidly, realizing that he'd just insulted the Hokage's personal ward directly in front of him. This would not end well for him.

"As for young Konohamaru-kun, he left shortly after my young apprentice. He seemed quite intent on following him." stated Theresa calmly, though her empty eyes were now boring directly into Ebisu's skull.

Ebisu did not need to be given a second opening, quickly racing out the door in pursuit, shouting about how he needed to prevent Naruto from 'corrupting' Konohamaru, while internally hoping he could escape the fury of his Kage.

**_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_**

_(Konoha Streets, sometime later)_

Naruto Uzumaki was about five minutes away from completely losing his temper and strangling someone.

Years of training with Theresa-bāchan had improved the blonde's mentality, helping him develop his patience and calm. Such things were just as important for a seer as they were for a shinobi, and the ability to calm one's mind was essential to be able to use sensor abilities. Before Naruto had been an emotional, hot-tempered kid, now the blonde had a much greater control over his emotions. Sure he could still lose his temper, especially if someone pushed one of his 'hot' buttons, and he was still an emotional and empathetic guy, but overall he thought he had pretty good control over himself. But this Konohamaru kid was really starting to push it.

Lack of sleep and the soreness in his body had already put the blonde in a bad mood. Then the kid came in and started acting like some sort of big shot just because Hokage-jiji was his grandfather. That had annoyed him. Now the kid was following him around like some sort of stalker, and it was really starting to piss the blonde off. The kid had been following him since he left the tower, and the blonde had noticed him as soon as it started. This was because of two reasons:

One, Naruto was a sensor and the kid had large chakra reserves, particularly for someone his age. Usually Academy Students, particularly ones as young as Konohamaru barely registered on his radar, just slightly above normal civilians and other background elements, but the kid's reserves were huge for his age, probably mid- to high-Genin level already if Naruto were to guess, and he'd probably had only started the Academy and unlocked his coils a few years ago. Naruto had to wonder if it was genetic. Hokage-jiji had massive reserves, though the blonde had often attributed that to him being a kage, and when he'd met Asuma-san he'd noticed the man had unusually large reserves even for a jounin.

Two, the kid _sucked_ at stealth. So far the kid's various 'disguises' had included: a perfectly square rock, a fence with the planks facing the wrong direction, a mobile bush in the middle of the road, and walking behind him using a newspaper to cover his face with large, easily noticed, eye-holes cut in it.

Naruto had been leading the kid on a merry chase for over an hour now, hoping to lose the kid so he could go home and rest in peace, but the kid was still right on his heels. The little gaki either had much better tracking skills than he did stealth or he was damned tenacious. After a while Naruto had decided he had two options. It had originally been three but he'd decided against the third since ojīsan probably wouldn't appreciate him murdering his grandson, no matter how annoying the gaki was.

Option one: Go home, lock the door, and hope that the kid would leave him alone.

Option two: Confront the gaki and see what the hell he wanted.

Deciding option one would be ineffective if the kid proved to be as stubborn as he suspected, the blonde turned his attention to where his target was currently 'hiding' behind a very narrow pole. "Do you actually want something kid, or are you just going to follow me around all day?" asked the exasperated blonde.

Konohamaru leaped from behind his hiding place and loudly declared. "So you noticed me, you're even better than I thought!"

Naruto resisted the urge to whack the annoying kid with his staff once more; instead he gripped the bridge of his nose in annoyance before asking, "Listen…Konohamaru was it?" asked the blonde, getting a nod from the kid. "Okay Konohamaru, I'm only going to ask once more: What. Do. You. Want. From. Me?"

"I want you to train me so I can become the next Hokage." proclaimed the child.

Naruto's response was instant and undeniable

"No."

As the blonde turned to leave he felt a sudden tugging on the back of his cloak. Dreading, yet knowing, what he was about to find, the blonde turned to find the young Sarutobi now gripping the back of his cloak while looking up at him with big, puppy-dog eyes. _'Oh Kami how I hate those eyes, they always make me want to do the right thing. Curse my naturally kind and heroic nature!'_ mentally ranted the blonde.

"Come on boss don't say that. Please." pleaded the younger boy holding his cloak, puppy-dog eyes blaring at full blast directly at his face

Naruto mentally sighed. _'There goes my chance of escape.'_

Nodding and getting the kid to let go of his cloak the blonde started walking again, this time motioning for the kid to follow him. A little less than a half-hour later the two were standing on a deserted hilltop, Konohamaru clutching a newly purchased, training staff. "Alright kid, I'm going to teach you a few basics in bōjutsu. Your grandfather was the one who taught these to me when I was about your age so pay attention." ordered the blonde.

"Got it boss." agreed the young Sarutobi as he gave a salute

Naruto nodded before taking his shakujō in a two-handed grip before he began to spin it. "Spinning your staff is more than an impressive way of showing off. Maintaining a constant, even spin takes a lot of control and practice, not to mention it teaches you how to both control your weapon and be constantly aware of its position and movements. Right now you need to focus on doing it using two hands and maintaining it for an hour without once losing your grip, then you can start practicing doing it one handed." instructed the blonde as he easily moved the staff into a single hand hold while maintaining the spin. "Now I want you to try, work on it for an hour then we'll move on." finished the blonde as he stopped the spin.

The young Sarutobi quickly nodded his head before doing as instructed, with Naruto occasionally offering bits of advice to help the kid improve. Naruto had to admit the kid was a fast learner, after just an hour the kid could at least maintain a decent spin for a full minute without losing control or bonking himself.

"Alright, now I'm going to show you a simple attack and defense kata. First show me how you grip your staff when you're about to fight." instructed the blonde. Konohamaru did as instructed. Naruto quickly approached and began making corrections. "Not bad for a complete amateur, but your hands and feet are too close together, that'll restrict your movements and weaken your grip." After correcting the kid's stance Naruto began to demonstrate the kata. It started with a wide sweeping strike, followed by a defensive block, and finishing with a swift and strong thrust. "That's the basic kata for most bōjutsu practices; it combines the three main uses of the staff: sweeping, blocking and thrusting. Now you try."

Konohamaru once again did as his new teacher instructed, and after nearly another half-hour of making corrections to the kid's kata Naruto ordered him to keep practicing it until he was ordered to stop.

"What, but why?" whined the young Sarutobi, he wanted to learn something new.

"Mostly to help your body memorize how to do the movements correctly. By repeating the kata constantly over prolonged period the body's muscles begin to memorize and adapt to them, allowing you to repeat them much quicker and easier. It's all because of something called muscle memory." explained the blonde as he set the young Sarutobi to work.

A little over two hours later and Konohamaru was about ready to collapse. Huffing and puffing, the kid barely heard his temporary sensei call out to him. "That's enough kid. Time for a break." turning the young Sarutobi found his red-cloaked sensei sitting on a nearby bench holding a pair of drinks recently purchased from a vending machine. Dropping his staff, he quickly walked over, plopped down next to his sensei while grabbing the proffered drink before guzzling for all he was worth, making the blonde chuckle lightly

"Careful kid, you don't want to choke or get sick." instructed the blonde before he took a sip of his own beverage before turning his attention back to the younger boy. "So, what's with your obsession with beating the old man and becoming Hokage?"

Konohamaru stopped drinking for a minute and just sat in silence before answering. "My gramps was the one who named me. He said I was named after the ancestral name of our village, Konohagakure, so it should be really easy for people to remember it, but no one ever calls me that. All I ever am to them is the 'Honorable Grandson of the mighty and honorable Third Hokage.' It make me feel…I dunno' like I don't even really exist, like I'm just part of my gramps' shadow." stated the boy sadly, looking down at his drink, before he looked back up with a determined look entering his young eyes. "That's why I want to beat gramps and take his title, so everyone will start seeing me for me. Just like you did back in the office." he finished throwing the blonde a broad smile.

Naruto himself smiled softly at that while nodding his head. _'The desire to be recognized for who you truly are, that's something I can relate to all too easily. Guess we're not so different are we gaki?'_ thought the blonde warmly. Remembering how his own mentor had directed him on his path, he decided to do the same. Turning his attention back to his young friend the blonde spoke in a solemn voice, "I can't teach you to beat the old man, let alone become Hokage."

This caused the young Sarutobi's eyes to widen as he sputtered out. "B-but why not? Come on boss I'll listen to and do anything you tell me to."

Naruto merely shook his head slowly. "I can't teach you, because right now I couldn't beat the old man on my own. Despite being older than dust, your gramps is still one of the best ninja this village has ever produced. If you ever want to surpass him, not just beat him but actually earn and be worthy of the title of Hokage, then you're going to need to make some decisions."

"What kind of decisions Boss?" asked a stunned Konohamaru.

"What are you willing to give up in order to become stronger and to protect the village? How much pain are you willing to endure to reach your goal? A kage is the mightiest of ninja in any of the villages, one who can face down of an army of enemies and not back down or hesitate. But there is more to being Hokage than simply strength. To be Hokage you must be willing to love the village as if it was your own family, to support and protect it with everything that you are." intoned the blonde, his hand going to his stomach as he remembered how the Fourth had sacrificed himself to seal the fox within him. "To be Hokage is perhaps the greatest of honors, but it is also the heaviest of burdens. The Hokage must put the village above all other things, even their own life." a small smile cracked his lips as he added one final statement. "And most importantly…" his voice trailed off quietly before finishing, the ghost of a smile on his lips.

"What? What do I have to do?" asked a thoroughly entranced Konohamaru.

"You'll have to beat me, since becoming Hokage is my dream as well." finished the blonde with a smug grin as he turned to face the younger boy.

The young Sarutobi sat in silence for a few minutes letting the blonde's words sink in. "Thanks boss, a lot of what gramps told me makes a lot more sense now." the kid sniffled a little before rubbing his arm under his nose and declaring. "But this means we're now rivals for the seat of Hokage. One day I'll be strong enough to beat both you and gramps, and then I'll know I've truly earned the title!" shouted the teary-eyed boy.

Naruto laughed at that. "Looking forward to it gaki, I'll keep the hat warm for you until then." laughed out the blonde as he patted the young Sarutobi on the head, pleased he could bring out the kid's 'Will of Fire," as ojīsan had always called it.

Meanwhile a certain sunglasses-wearing tokubetsu jounin sat in a nearby tree, having heard and witnessed most of the events. The man had originally planned on going down there and simply stopping the entire fiasco, but was weary of further inciting his leader's anger. Now as he sat on the branch, a small smirk slowly crossed his lips. "Hmm…Naruto Uzumaki. I may never like someone like you brat, but I just might be able to respect you a bit if you're willing to practice what you preach." muttered the enigmatic instructor as he adjusted his sunglasses, before he leaped away, deciding to let his student rest for the day. Tomorrow's training would be most arduous.

**_~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~~~_**

_(Hokage's Office, same time)_

Standing in front of his viewing orb, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help but let a proud smile cross his weathered features as he watched his two grandsons, one by blood, the other by everything but.

"He has grown up well." stated Theresa calmly, her own features showing only the barest hints of a smile.

"Thanks to you Theresa." stated the old kage solemnly. "I never had enough time to really be there for him, only enough to offer the occasional kind word and bit of advice or training." sighed the aged leader sadly. Naruto was right; being Hokage was a heavy burden, a burden that had nearly cost him his relationship with his youngest son and had prevented him from spending as much time as he would have liked with either of his grandsons.

Theresa gave a soft chuckle at that. "I can't take much credit either Sarutobi-kun. I merely helped bring out what was always there." she stated calmly.

**_~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~~~_**

_(Sunday, Hokage's Office, Early Afternoon)_

Anko was getting anxious. Scratch that, anxious had flown out the window this morning and she was now officially a nervous wreck and was just a hop, skip, and a jump away from suffering an anxiety attack. To be told she could be free of Orochimaru's constant influence was the greatest news she'd ever heard, especially after being told for over half a decade that the seal couldn't be removed unless Orochimaru was completely destroyed. That fact, combined with her former master's obsession with immortality and habit of being damned near impossible to kill completely, had left her thinking she was doomed to be under the Snake Sannin's thumb for the rest of her life. Now she was just a short time away from finding out if it was true or if she could finally be free.

"You should really calm down Anko-chan, Theresa will be here soon enough." stated the aged kage as he calmly puffed his pipe from behind his desk, watching the newly minted jounin wear a path into his floor with her pacing. The young woman had arrived nearly an hour early. The two had quickly taken care of the last of the paperwork needed to finalize her promotion and now the newly minted jounin was forced to wait.

"Sorry Hokage-sama." she absently apologized as she continued to pace, only to stop as she heard the doors creak open.

Stepping into the office, Theresa gave the Hokage a slight bow. "My apologies for being late Sarutobi-kun, I wanted to check on Naruto before coming here, given the ordeals of the past few days." apologized the aged seer.

"That's quite alright Theresa-san. How is he?" asked the aged kage.

"He is well, just extremely tired. I have instructed him to take it easy for the day and save his energy for tomorrow and left him a few things to study so he wouldn't grow too bored. He seemed disinclined to argue." answered the aged seer, before her turned slightly to rest her sightless eyes on Anko. "And how are you child?" she questioned.

"How rude of me." interjected the Hokage, "Anko Mitarashi, please allow me to introduce Theresa Casthania. Theresa this is Anko, she'll be Naruto's team sensei if today's procedure goes well."

"It's a pleasure Casthania-sama." stated Anko respectfully. Normally respect wasn't big in her itinerary, but considering this woman may be able to remove her curse seal, an exception was definitely called for.

"The pleasure is mine my dear." responded Theresa politely, "And do call me Theresa, I dislike needless formalities."

Anko nodded. "If you don't mind Theresa, what happened to the gaki?" she asked, concerned for her, hopefully, soon-to-be student.

"Nothing you need to worry about Anko-chan. Yesterday Naruto awoke his kekkai genkai in a procedure that has left him physically exhausted. He should be fine by tomorrow as long as doesn't do anything to stressful." answered Theresa.

"The gaki's got a bloodline?" questioned Anko.

Theresa nodded. "Yes and an extremely old one at that, one that has been thought extinct since before the times of the Rikudō Sennin. It is called the Archon Bloodline." she answered calmly.

Anko blinked at that, she didn't even know that there were bloodlines before the Rikudō Sennin appeared. "So what does it do?"

"Considering you'll be Naruto-kun's sensei after today, I suppose you do have a right to know." responded Theresa thoughtfully before she began explaining, "The Archon bloodline has three key aspects: Strength, Skill, and Will. Strength and Skill are similar abilities, they both augment certain aspects of their holder's body, allowing them to momentarily surpass the normal limitations all humans, even shinobi, possess. Strength deals with a person's power-based abilities: raw physical strength, endurance, durability and melee combat abilities. Skill deals with a person's finesse-based abilities: speed, agility, physical awareness, dexterity, and ranged combat abilities. In essence these two aspects allow their wielder both to surpass a person's normal limits on these abilities, but when activated correctly will allow momentary boosts in a single aspect."

"So if the gaki needed to get really strong, this Strength ability will boost his muscular power, and if he suddenly needs to move fast Skill can give his speed a boost?" asked Anko in clarification. It sounded like a pretty useful bloodline. All ninja had the ability to boost their physical abilities through chakra use, but from the way Theresa described it the kid's bloodline took it to a whole other level. Another question quickly popped into her head, "And if the two are so similar then why are they classified as different abilities?"

"For your first question, in essence, yes, but that is not the true power of either ability. With training and effort, these boosts become more permanent, allowing the user to retain more and more of their granted abilities with each use." answered Theresa.

"Wait, you're saying that if the gaki uses these powers often enough they become permanent?" questioned a slightly shocked Anko.

"It is a gradual process, and his abilities might never fully reach their augmented state, but yes. However, it is more than simply activating his gifts, it is actually using them effectively and gaining experience with them that improves the abilities. Without that his abilities will stagnate. Simple things like sparring and practices will only allow for the most basic of increases, true improvement occurs when they are used in actual combat or life-and-death situations." responded Theresa.

"So it's like a trial by fire? The kid has to fight and risk his neck for his abilities to improve, but the more he fights the stronger he gets?" clarified Anko. That sounded like a lot of things involving shinobi life. Training and studying will only get you so far, only real experience can take you all the way.

"Precisely." answered Theresa with a slight nod. "As for your second question, there are two key reasons. First is the display of their activation. When either ability is activated, they release a certain sign. While the exact nature of the sign varies based on the individual, Strength activations are always bright red while Skill activations are bright yellow. The second reason is that while one cannot activate multiple Strength or Skill augments at the same time, limiting each to augmenting a single ability, a skilled holder can activate both Strength and Skill enhancements at the same time."

"So he can't both strengthen and toughen up at the same time, but he can strengthen and speed up?" asked Anko for clarification.

"Exactly." agreed Theresa.

Anko nodded her head in thought before asking, "What about the third aspect, Will?"

"The closest thing Will can be compared to would be a subelement. However instead of combining two different forms of chakra in order to create a new element, Will allows a user to wield chakra at its most primal state. This allows him to use jutsu unlike any other. Using this power a Will user can wield all five of the main elements, and even some subelements, through the use of _Ijiton_ (Will/Willpower Release) techniques. With skill and experience a wielder of Ijiton can even combine these elements in ways most shinobi would find impossible."

"Neat." Anko chirped, before she began to rub her chin in thought. "That's going to make teaching him how to use it pretty tough, though. After all, he's going to have to redevelop those techniques from scratch." she stated thoughtfully.

"Not necessarily." responded Theresa. "Through my travels I've acquired a number of scrolls holding ancient _Ijiton_ techniques. With their help, I should be able to teach him how to wield it effectively."

Anko gave the older woman a look. "That's a pretty big coincidence. The gaki just so happens to awaken a bloodline that you just so happen to have scrolls and all this info on." stated Anko suspiciously.

"In truth," stated Theresa with a smirk, "it is no mere coincidence. I have come across mentions of this bloodline many times in my studies of the ancient past, and it has become a bit of an obsession of mine over the years. When I first met Naruto I felt the first stirrings of it within his blood. Since then I have used my knowledge to gather what information I can to help him reach his full potential when it awakens."

"Still, it's a pretty big coincidence for you to just run into the kid who just so happens to hold this bloodline you're obsessed with." Anko continued.

"Anko, that's enough. Or have you forgotten that Theresa is here to help you." stated the Hokage sternly.

"It's quite alright Sarutobi-kun, she is merely worried for Naruto's safety, and I cannot blame her for that." placated Theresa before she returned her attention to Anko, "Perhaps me finding young Naruto that night was indeed a great coincidence, or perhaps it was the fickle touch of luck, or even the grasp of fate or destiny that pulled us together. Who can really say for sure? All I can promise is that I hold no ill will toward young Naruto. I merely want to help him reach his full potential and see what he will be able to accomplish with it."

Anko studied the woman for a few moments before bowing, "I apologize for my suspicions and rudeness Theresa-san, I merely…" she apologized.

"It is quite alright my dear. Considering your past betrayals a bit of mistrust is understandable." responded Theresa calmly. "Now shall we return to the task at hand, ridding you of the mark of your greatest betrayal?"

Anko smiled at that. "Hai, and thank you again for this Theresa-san."

"You may thank me when it's over child, for now we have work to do." responded the aged seer seriously.

"If you don't mind Theresa, I'd also like to witness this. I'm curious to see how these _Senkenjutsu_ (Seer Techniques) actually work." asked the old Hokage as he slowly stroked his short beard.

Theresa gave the man a small smile. "Always the Professor, aren't you Sarutobi-kun? Always hungering for new knowledge and never willing to stop learning." she teased.

Sarutobi merely chuckled while shrugging his shoulders in acceptance of the statement. It was true after all.

"I really don't mind. Just please do not interfere, what I am about to do takes a great deal of concentration." instructed the aged seer, getting a nod of confirmation before turning her attention to Anko. "Now Anko-chan, please sit down, and remove your jacket and any other clothing so that the mark is clearly visible." she ordered, indicating a low-backed chair.

Anko nodded, removing her jacket as she walked before throwing it over the back of the chair and sitting down. Then she slowly slid down the neck-lining of her body suit, leaving the three tomoe markings of her cursed seal bare on her neck. Anko was now completely focused on the fact that, if she was lucky, she'd soon be free. The fact that a good portion of her figure was clearly visible didn't even enter her mind, though it did force the elderly Hokage to blush and avert his attention.

Theresa slowly approached her from behind, seemingly studying the seal for a moment with her pale luminous eyes, before reaching into her voluminous cloak. After a moment's searching the aged seer removed a small jar and a brush. Removing the lid of the jar, showed it was filled with a light blue ink-like liquid that seemed to give off a soft, slightly unsettling, glow. With slow and deliberate actions Theresa wetted the brush before she began to scribe several sigils onto the flesh surrounding the cursed seal.

Sarutobi leaned in to get a better look at the markings, thinking it was some type of _Fūinjutsu_ (Sealing Technique), before pulling his head back. The symbols were unlike anything he'd ever seen before, and seemed to squirm and shift under his gaze, making it impossible for him to remember exactly what they looked like, though they did remind the aged kage of the marks embroidered on Theresa's clothes.

After several minutes Theresa finished her markings before slowly resealing her jar before placing both it and the now dry brush back into her cloak. "Now Anko-chan, I'm going to need to put you to sleep for this next step. If I don't the process will become much more difficult and cause you a great deal of pain. Do you understand?" she questioned.

Anko gulped nervously before nodding her head in acceptance.

"Good. Now, _Sleep_." she intoned placing her hand in front of Anko's face as a small burst of golden sparks exited her hand. The sparks seemed to float in front of Anko for a mere second before disappearing, but not without effect. Anko's eyelids fell low and heavy over her eyes and she seemed to be fighting to stay awake for a moment before she dropped into a deep, calm slumber.

"That looked like one of Naruto's card effects, The Dreamer if I'm not mistaken." stated Sarutobi as he watched Anko fall asleep, before turning his attention to Theresa, "But how did you use it without a card?"

Theresa smiled at that. "The cards are merely a focus, one of many that a seer can use to bring forth their powers, similar to the way you shinobi use handseals to focus your chakra and shape your jutsu. And just like how a shinobi can learn to wield their jutsu without the use of your seals, so too can a seer who has grown strong enough in their craft wield the power hidden within the cards without their focus." she answered calmly, before she returned her attention to her patient as she began a set of handseals. "Now the true trial begins. **Senkenjutsu: Noroitamashī no Yakuharai**! (Seer Technique: Exorcism of the Cursed Soul)." shouted the aged seer a she cupped both hands around the cursed seal and her own markings, causing all three to glow a bright, ghostly blue, while her own eyes began to glow with a pale white light.

**_~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~_**

_(Anko's Mindscape)_

"Hmm, it seems Sarutobi-kun was correct when he described Anko-chan as a bit of a 'wild child.'" chuckled Theresa as she stood in the depths of Anko's mindscape.

A person's mindscape could tell you a lot about them. In Naruto's case the dark sewer-like appearance of his mindscape showed the repressed feelings of loneliness and isolation the young blonde had been forced to endure for most of his early life. Anko's mind was similar to a tropical jungle, a dense forest surrounding a narrow, water-lined path. The water saddened Theresa greatly; water within a person's mindscape was an indicator of person's past sorrows. She'd once heard someone describe it as, 'a person's unshed tears.' It was an apt description if nothing else.

Looking around Theresa noticed some of the trees appeared sick, as if gripped by some infection or corruption, their trunks greying and darkening while their leaves either appeared to yellow or had simply fallen off. Realizing them as indicators of the cursed seal's influence, Theresa chuckled grimly. "Time to find the source of this corruption and remove it." she stated solemnly as she walked down the path, heading toward the source of the taint.

As she delved deeper into Anko's mind, the trees began to worsen. As she approached the heart of this darkness more and more appeared sick, and many seemed dead, their trunks black and withered while their branches stretched emptily upwards, revealing a sickly yellow sky. Finally she came to what she believed to be the heart of the corruption. It was an open clearing, raised slightly above the water-lined pathway and filled with only the withered and dark remains of dozens of trees, forming the same three-tomoe design of the cursed seal, barren black earth, and a single, massive, husk of a tree resting at its center. Its bark was a dark, greyish black and covered with pure black tomoe markings. Its many withered branches stretched far and wide, overshadowing the entire clearing and brimming with sickly yellow leaves, each marked with the three tomoe marking of the cursed seal at its center. The entire thing seemed to radiate a vile vitality, an oozing sickness that promised power at the cost of corruption.

"So this is the heart of the cursed seal?" muttered Theresa as she studied the giant tree. "Such a disgusting thing, a perversion of the human soul at its darkest source."

"_Kukuku_." a sinister, high-pitched chuckling seemed to echo throughout the clearing. "Now what do we have hear? Someone seems to have stumbled upon my humble abode. Well, I suppose I should greet them now shouldn't I." hissed a voice hidden among the dark vegetation.

From the leafy canopy of the great tree, a figure began to emerge. Slithering down the trunk at a slow, methodical pace, the creature finally made itself known. Its lower body was the tail of a great white serpent, while its torso was that of a thin man, complete with dull gray robes covering his torso and most of his arms, leaving only a pair of clawed, reptilian hands covered in white snake scales visible. The creature's face was deathly pale for a human, almost completely white, with a small pattering of snake scales forming an intricate tattoo-like design along its cheeks and forehead. It had slit, yellows eyes surrounded by dull purple markings, thin arched eyebrows, and a loose mane of dull-black hair. As the creature finally reached the bottom of the trunk its long, split tongue darted out, tasting the air like a snake.

Theresa scowled at the creature. "Orochimaru of the Sannin I presume. You have committed crimes against the world and nature itself, and now you have stepped too far. Warping your own soul and infecting others with it like some sort of plague. As a seer I cannot allow this to continue and I will free this girl from your cursed influence." intoned the ancient seer as she held out her hand. With a brief flare of dull, red light, a longsword appeared in her grip. It had a long blade forged of black steel that seemed to curve throughout its length, broadening near the base before narrowing near its center only to broaden again before narrowing to a razor-edge point. Its crossguard curved slightly backward with the two guards made of the same black steel as the blade but banded with silver near the end. The grip and center of the crossguard was red with silver bolt and a large golden circle at the center of the crossguard while the pommel was a large golden sphere. (_AN: See profile for image_.)

"My, my, my, a seer? I though your kind was merely an old legend from the ancient times." chuckled the abomination as it opened its mouth widely. Soon a serpent emerged from the creature's throat, before it too opened its mouth and released its own blade into its master's grip. The sword's was long and straight and made of polished steel with a small amount of black material set with a blue gemstone placed near the handguard. It had a narrow crossguard made of dull yellow material while the grip and pommel were black, with the grip wrapped in bandages. (_AN: See profile for image_). "I do believe it's time for a little…experiment." laughed the creature as it launched forward, intent on overtaking the blind woman before she could even react, believing her to be no threat.

It was a mistake that had killed many fools before him and would kill many more.

With grace and speed that belied her age, Theresa duck and spun around the blade, launching her own strike at the serpent's side in retaliation. The faux Sannin rolled its coiled body to the side to avoid a lethal blow, but her blade still bit deep into the creature's shoulder. The monster screeched in outrage, holding its wounded shoulder as it watched its scaled arm begin to dissolve near where the blade had cut through, the flesh seemingly melting like hot wax before slowly dribbling down his arm and falling to the ground.

"Interesting, that is a very unusual blade you carry _ssssseer_." the creature hissed the final word.

"This is the Sword of Aeons, one of a pair of twin, blood-forged blades. A relic of the ancient past, and the means by which you will fall this day monster." intoned Theresa coldly.

"We shall see seer. We shall see." intoned the snake-man as he lifted his own sword. "Now let us continue the experiment." with that the faux snake sannin attacked once more, this time far more cautiously and keeping its eyes locked on the deadly blade his opponent wielded.

"No." intoned the seer. "This twisted game ends now." with that she raised her palm and shouted "_Fireball_!" releasing a sizzling sphere of flames directly at the charging monster. The creature move swiftly to avoid the fireball, only for Theresa to appear before him, slamming the butt of her own blade into his stomach and sending him hurtling back into the central tree.

As the creature began to rise once more, Theresa raised her hand once more and drew it to the side in sweeping motion while she intoned, "_Blades_!" Instantly five ghostly sword of pale light swirled into being around her before launching toward the soul shard of the twisted sannin. The monster screamed in pain as the five blades sank into him. One in each forearm and shoulder while the fifth pierced his serpentine tail right below his waist. The monster screamed and thrashed in pain and outrage, but was unable to even loosen the five ethereal blades holding him to the representation of his seal.

"This is the end for you monster. Your time haunting this child's nightmare's with your shadow has ended." intoned the seer as she slowly approached the pinned Sannin's soul. The Sword of Aeons resting loosely in one hand seemed to glow with an eager, malevolent light as it came closer to the pinned shard.

For the first time in a long time Orochimaru felt an emotion he'd thought he'd long surpassed…fear. This woman's abilities were unlike anything he'd come across before. When his fragment rejoined the original he would have to research the seer's of the past _much_ more thoroughly. If for nothing else, than to avenge himself on this old fool who dared to mock him. The cold smile that crossed the aged seer's face at those thoughts, however, made the Sannin worry.

"You will not be returning to warn your master little shard, I will see to that personally. Your pathetic little soul will be sealed away where you will do no one any harm until it is time for you to be used against your own master. His time will come just as yours has." she intoned as she raised her blade before shoving directly into the snake soul's stomach. The creature screamed once more in pain as its body and its mark were covered in fissures of golden light. "Now _BEGONE_!" ordered the seer as tree and serpent shattered in an explosion of light.

"Your final end will come soon enough serpent, but not by my hands." whispered the aged seer as her body faded back to the real world.

**_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_**

_(Hidden Base, Oto no Kuni (_Land of Sound_))_

Hidden beneath the ground, in a secret laboratory, a snake began to scream.

"_AAGH_!" howled out Orochimaru as his hand clutched at his chest, sharpened nails digging deeply into his flesh as if hoping to rip out his own heart to end the pain.

"Orochimaru-sama!" shouted a subordinate, dressed in the clothing of a laboratory aide, in concern for his master as he entered the room, "What is the-GAH!" only for his head to explode a second after entering, pierced by a trio or serpents.

Huphing and breathing unsteadily, the snake sannin began to rise back to his feet, completely ignorant of the subordinate he'd just killed in a fit of pain-induced rage. _'What was that?'_ mentally hissed the Snake Sannin. _'It felt as if someone had just shoved a flaming blade through my very…MY CURSED SEALS!'_ mentally howled the sannin.

Stepping over the corpse of his deceased subordinate, the Snake Sannin made his way through the base. His first priority was finding the location and condition of all his current seal-holders before finding out what had destroyed the missing one. He could care less about the carriers, they were only potential vessels that, while valuable, could be replaced, but the seals themselves and the fragments of his own soul they contained were vital for his immortality. Normally if a carrier died, the soul shard would return to him and inform him of all its vessel's activities from the time of its implanting to the time of the host's destruction. The idea itself was based off his study of the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, but someone had managed to not only destroy the vessel but his shard as well.

He needed to find out how and who. How so he could figure out a way to counter it before they could do any more damage to his chances at immortality, and who so he could make them pay.

No one harmed _Shirodaija no Orochimaru_ (Orochimaru of the White Serpent) and escaped unscathed. NO ONE!

**_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_**

_(Back in the Hokage's Office)_

In what seemed like only seconds Theresa's body jerked back into awareness as the glow from her eyes and the seal began to fade. As soon as the glow fully faded, sickly white smoke began to blossom from the cursed seal, draining it of its color and turning it a dull white. With a quick movement Theresa drew a blank card from within the folds of her blouse and quickly performed another set of seals. Finishing the seals she exclaimed "**Senkenjutsu: Jigoku no Mippū**! (Seer Technique: Sealing of the Damned)." while slamming the back of one hand into the back of the card. Instantly, swirling light enveloped the card's front, creating a vacuum-like suction that quickly drew in the white smoke escaping the cursed seal.

As the card drew in the last of the smoke its surface changed, blank space replaced with a sinister image. A giant white snake made up of a multitude of smaller snakes, with long and spiky black hair, a scaled face with snake-like teeth and a long tongue, black eye markings, and a pointed chin, coiled around itself in a sea of black, its wide mouth opened in snarling roar, or perhaps a scream (AN: Think Orochimaru's true form). Across the bottom on a pale, opened scroll read the words "The White Serpent" in dark black ink.

As soon as the sealing was done Theresa nearly collapsed to the ground, only to be caught by Sarutobi, who quickly helped her to a chair.

"My thanks, Sarutobi-kun." panted out the aged seer.

"Are you alright Theresa? Do you need some water or perhaps a doctor?" asked a worried Sarutobi; he'd never seen her appear so tired before. Despite her advanced age Theresa always seemed to radiate a calm vitality, but now….

"No I am fine." insisted Theresa. "The removal and sealing of a soul shard, particularly one as powerful and twisted as Orochimaru's, takes a great deal of energy. I merely need to rest." she then held up the card and offered it to Sarutobi. "Here Sarutobi-kun, keep this with you at all times. Orochimaru will come here, either in search of answers to what happened to his cursed seal or to settle his old grudge. When the time is right, activate this card and you will deal him a mortal blow." she instructed.

"Are you sure I should keep it?" asked the elderly Hokage, "Naruto is the one trained to…"

"No!" hissed Theresa. "Naruto-kun's battles are his and yours are your own. When the time comes it will be you who has to wield this card and no other." instructed the seer sternly.

Before the Hokage could voice another argument a low groan came from the room's third occupant.

"Ohh, what the hell hit me?" groaned out Anko as she began to return to the waking world. Theresa's next words struck her like a lightning bolt.

"You are free Anko."

"I-I'm free?" she whispered. "He's gone, he's really gone?" she looked over her shoulder, just barely able to catch a glimpse of the pale, white marking that was all that remained of her cursed seal.

"Yes, his soul is gone, held in stasis until it can be used to strike back at him once more." answered Theresa.

"I'm free." Anko muttered before, "I'M FINALLY FREE" she screamed as she began to laugh, tears of joy falling from her eyes.

Both elders merely watched as the young woman laughed and cried, celebrating her first moments of true freedom in nearly a decade.

**_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_**

**_END CHAPTER 8_**

**_READ AND REVIEW_**


	9. The New Apprenticeship

**Naruto: A Seer's Fable**

**REVIEW RESPONSE:**

_brrt_: That is entirely possible, but Orochimaru's not likely to hunt her down anytime soon. Remember Theresa and her abilities are still an extremely high unknown quantity to Orochimaru. The only things he'll likely discover, since the procedure itself was a secret between Sarutobi, Theresa, and Anko, is that she was the one who performed it, and nothing else. Combined with the fact that nearly no one in the Leaf, other than Naruto and perhaps Sarutobi, knows anything about her abilities and the results would be the snake fighting blind against someone who has the power to destroy his means of immortality. That's not a situation I think Orochimaru would rush into, so he's likely to take his time and try to gather as much Intel as he can before making the slightest move.

Omegalus: You have to remember it's been hundreds if not thousands of years since the end of the Fable III timeline. In that time I'm sure Theresa has learned a few new tricks, including how to unlock the power of the Sword of Aeons. After all, Black didn't need to sacrifice anyone to wield its power.

Wandering Sage: _Rafiki, Rafiki, Rafiki_; always wanted to do that. Anyway, guns won't be common, but they won't be extremely rare. As for other legendary Fable weapons, that's entirely possible.

ferduran: I probably won't be doing a council scene for this one, but you never know. As for Anko's card, it will remain the same since she's still very snakeish.

gaara king of the sand: The first spell will probably appear either this chapter or next depending on how far I get.

Lazruth: I've got plans for Naruto's team; you'll just have to wait to find out.

Venomhand360: Haven't thought about using Demon Doors, but I'll give it a thought or two.

_dude_: Strength's red, Skill's yellow, and Will's blue, and General Exp was green in the games I remember.

frostweaver: I've already got plans for the Fox and boy chat, but you'll have to wait and see.

Matthew Blackheart: Remember when Theresa mentioned merging the elements in ways unimaginable by normal shinobi? That's what she was talking about.

Leonineus: Like I said, Guns aren't common, but they certainly aren't extremely rare.

_To everyone else that reviewed I thank you for your time and support._

"Human Speech"

'_Human Thought'_

"Demon/Summons Speech"

'_Demon/Summons Thought'_

**Jutsu **or _Card_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Fable, or anything other than my own original ideas for this story**

**_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_**

**Chapter 9: The New Apprenticeship**

'_Why does everything in my life have to be so…complicated?'_

This was the thought echoing through the mind of one Naruto Uzumaki as he headed toward the Academy, one hand massaging the bridge of his nose, attempting to keep the headache he knew was coming at bay.

'_All I wanted was a wife and a few kids when I'm older. Is that so much to ask? Sure I want to be Hokage along with a legendary Hero too, but I at least knew those dreams would be difficult. I'd hoped that, at least, my desire for a family wouldn't be that complicated, but no. No simple love life for Naruto Uzumaki. I have to fall under the CRA and marry multiple women in order to 'populate and strengthen my clan.' And what the hell was Ojīsan laughing about? Every man's fantasy my ass! Most men can barely keep one wife happy, how the hell am I going to manage a dozen!'_ mentally grumbled the blonde, before he let out a slight snort. _'At least that reading about my romantic life makes a hell of a lot more sense now.'_

The blonde had left for the Hokage's tower shortly after waking up, as usual, with the dawning sun. The old kage had then went into great detail explaining the Clan Restoration/Foundation Act, or CRA as it was more commonly known, to his adoptive grandson. The act itself had been in existence since the Shodaime's time, having been created and endorsed early in the First Fire Shadow's reign. The law had been originally drafted shortly after the foundation of the five Great Ninja Villages. Due to the near constant battles between clans of shinobi in the times before the villages many shinobi clans were nearly wiped out, leaving only one or two members alive. The CRA was originally founded to help these clans return to their former glory, as well as entice those individuals with new and unique abilities into the village's rosters. Konoha was the first to offer it as a way to attract some of the unaligned shinobi clans to them, and several variations of the law were soon passed in each of the other Great Villages. Over time the law became even more common, being passed and included in the founding articles of many of the younger villages.

Rationally the law made a lot of sense, even Naruto would admit that. By allowing the shinobi to marry multiple female partners, it ensured not only that the clan's numbers would increase, but that the clan would also have a diverse genetic background in order to prevent inbreeding and genetic abnormalities. It also provided a way to build allies and connections with the rest of the village. From what Sarutobi had mentioned a number of the women associated with a new clan's formation have usually been members of already established Konoha clans, married into the new clan in order to foster alliances between the clans as well as engender loyalty to the village. Then there were the additional boons the law offered besides the '_polygamy clause_.' There were several tax advantages in order to help the clan build up their finances, improved legal rights as the beneficiary was now a clan heir or head depending on their age, and even the possibility of earning a seat on the clan council, one of the three main governing bodies of the village outside the Hokage, if the clan proved its worth to the village through heroic or exemplary acts.

One of Naruto's favorites was a land grant in order to build a clan compound. Naruto had immediately selected the parcel containing Cullis Hill, the name he'd given to the large hill containing the Cullis Gate. The old kage had been curious about Naruto's selection and the blonde had said that the hill contained a relic of his clan, which was technically true. Getting a curious look from Sarutobi, the young seer had told him a bit about the Cullis Gate. After that the old man had had him sign a few papers making everything official and said he'd be making an official announcement to the council in a few days before sending him off to get to the Academy on time for his team selection.

The blonde gave a short sigh as he approached the Academy. "Best not to dwell on the chaos that is my life for now. What will be will be, and destiny always has ways of surprising you." he muttered quietly under his breath as he entered the classroom to await team assignments.

Noticing a nearly empty row of seats in the back, Naruto made his way up. Noticing Hinata sitting at one corner of the three seated row he softly asked, "Is this seat taken?"

Hinata quickly turned to face the voice of the speaker only to blush heavily at the sight of her crush/hero. Ever since she'd found out that it was Naruto's prediction that had led to her father saving her and preventing her abduction, she'd been fascinated with the young fortuneteller. She'd already been attracted to him, his warm personality and kind nature offering a warm and sharp contrast to the cold and apathetic nature of her relatives in the Hyūga Clan. That fascination had quickly grown into a crush before blooming into full-blown love over the years following. Now if only the timid Hyūga heiress could gather the nerve necessary to tell the blonde her feelings.

Sadly the only thing she could bring herself to do at the moment was shake her head and stutter out a soft "N-No."

Giving the dark-haired girl a soft smile, he sat down next to her. "My thanks." he replied warmly, as he reached into his new battle-kimono and withdrew a deck of playing cards before starting a game of solitaire. The blonde peacefully enjoyed his game, while the bluenette next to him silently enjoyed his presence and tried to work up the nerve to talk to him, for several minutes. The only other sound was the excited chatter of his fellow students, each discussing who's team they'd be on and how cool and awesome they'd be as shinobi.

That is until the frantic sound of pounding feet started to echo in from down the hall. Seconds later the door suddenly slammed open, revealing one Sakura Haruno. "CHA! I'm first." screamed the pink-haired girl in triumph as she punched the air.

Naruto couldn't resist. "First in what, Haruno-san?" he asked politely.

Said girl looked up at him in annoyance. "The race, obviously." she responded as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"With who, your imaginary friend?" questioned Naruto with a slight smirk.

"With Ino-pig of course." stated the girl as she looked to the side, somehow only now realizing she stood alone in the doorway with no one else in sight. She seemed to look down the hallway for several minutes in confusion before coming to a decision. "She obviously realized she couldn't beat me so she gave up." she stated pridefully, before running over and taking the vacant seat next to Sasuke Uchiha.

"Obviously." muttered the blonde sarcastically under his breath.

It was several minutes later when Ino actually arrived. She walked in casually and took a look around the room, noticing Sakura sitting next to Sasuke. The pink-haired fangirl noticed and gave her blonde, former friend a victory sign. Ino merely sighed and shook her head. Noticing Naruto and Hinata sitting near the back with a seat open, the young blonde made her own way up the stairs to join them. "Mind if I join you two?" she asked as she stood next to the final seat on their row.

"Not at all, Ino-chan." replied Naruto, while Hinata merely shook her head in the negative, though she was a little disappointed someone was interrupting her alone time with Naruto.

After taking her seat next to Naruto, Ino turned to the two of them. "So either of you have any idea what team you'll be on?" she asked curiously.

"N-Not really." mumbled Hinata under her breath.

"Me neither." stated Naruto with a slight shrug.

"Well, since we happen to be sitting with Konoha's resident fortuneteller, why don't we find out?" asked Ino with a slight smirk, before she turned her attention to Naruto with a flirty smile. "So what do you say future-boy, care to give a couple of cute girls a reading about who they'll be teamed up with?" she asked while giving the blonde an equally flirty wink.

Naruto chuckled. "I suppose I could." he said as he reached into his hip pouch and removed his reading deck as he began to shuffle. "So four cards each, three for the team members and one for the sensei." he stated as he handed the deck to Ino who quickly channeled chakra into the cards and began to shuffle them. After a few minutes she handed them back to Naruto.

Naruto then quickly shuffled the cards again before placing four face-down on the table. "Alright my little friends show us who Ino's team shall be…" he started mysteriously before flipping the first three cards in rapid succession revealing The Boar, The Stag, and The Butterfly.

"Ah. Looks like the famous Ino-Shika-Cho trio will be reborn this year." stated the blonde with a smile. The Boar represented Ino and the Yamanaka Clan, The Stag was Shikamaru and the Nara Clan, and The Butterfly was Chōji and the Akimichi Clan. Flipping the fourth card revealed 'The Weasel.'

"And you shall be led by one represented by The Weasel. The Weasel is a person whose temperament is very fluid, capable of being calm and soothing at one moment, and a maelstrom of activity the next. Be wary, The Weasel can be a tricky one, but his intentions are usually pure." explained the blonde.

Ino nodded her head. She was kind of expecting to be put with Shikamaru and Chōji, not only was it tradition but their dads had been one of the best teams in Konoha during the last war and everyone had a lot of high expectations for the three of them. She couldn't immediately think of anyone who matched Naruto's description of The Weasel, but there were a lot of jounin in Konoha. She put the info in the back of her mind to fully utilize later. After all, she trusted Naruto's predictions.

Naruto quickly reshuffled the cards back into his deck and began shuffling the cards again. After a few moments he handed the cards over to Hinata, who gingerly took them and began to repeat the same process as Ino before handing them back to her crush, blushing intently as their fingers brushed against each other. After a few minutes of vigorous shuffling, Naruto laid out another four cards. "This time it's Hinata's turn my little friends, so show us her team…" he whispered to the cards once more.

"Hey Naruto," interrupted Ino, "Why do you talk to your cards like that?" she asked curiously.

Naruto gave her a soft smile, though his eyes never left the cards in front of him. "A key aspect of fortunetelling, particularly when using the Tarot, is faith. One must have faith both in their instrument, to tell them the proper flow of destiny, and in themselves, to interpret it correctly. Talking to my cards is simply a way for me to express and reinforce that faith, treating them as loyal friends rather than mindless tools." he explained softly.

Ino gave him an odd look, "That's a little weird, but kinda cool at the same time." she stated offhandedly.

Naruto merely smirked as he flipped the first three cards revealing The Sight, The Hound, and The Beetle. "The Sight, that's your card Hinata-chan." started Naruto, getting a blush from the girl at the suffix. "It represents a person with keen insight. Also, it has often been associated with the Hyūga Clan and their all-seeing Byakugan. Next is The Hound, a person who is best identified by their loyalty and determination. It has also always represented the Inuzuka Clan, meaning more than likely you'll be with Kiba. My sympathies." he joked. Truth be told, while the blonde didn't like the dog-user that much, he at least respected the fact that the mutt was a tough fighter. "Finally, there's The Beetle, a card that represents a stoic and calm personality, as well as the Aburame Clan and their kikaichū insects. So that means you'll probably be working with Shino as well." stated the blonde.

Hinata was a little disappointed that she wouldn't be on her crush's team.

Ino was tapping her chin in thought. "That actually sounds like an impressive tracking or scouting team. The Byakugan's sight, Inuzuka's nose, and Aburame's beetles are all pretty much perfect for that kind of work. Put them together and they'd be hard to beat." she stated in a thoughtful tone.

"I agree Ino-chan, it definitely sounds like a potent mix." agreed Naruto as he nodded his head, before he flipped the final card, revealing The Mountebank. "Ah, your teacher shall be The Mountebank. The Mountebank is a card that represents one who is a master of duplicity and deception. The truth of a Mountebank's character is never easily apparent, and, when associated with ninja, this card often represents those who have mastered the art of Genjutsu."

Hinata's mind instantly went to her former caretaker and bodyguard, Kurenai Yūhi. She'd heard that her former Chūnin mentor had been promoted to Jounin recently, but was it possible? Her thoughts were interrupted when a new voice cut in.

"Oh my, the artwork on those cards is really quite beautiful." stated a new voice from behind the three.

All three young shinobi quickly turned to identify the speaker. Sitting in the row behind them in the center seat was a young man approximately their age, maybe a year older. He was moderately tall, standing somewhere between 5'7" and 5'8" with short, jet-black hair that framed his face, ink black eyes, extremely pale skin and a handsome face. Naruto's first thought was that he looked like some kind of ink drawing brought to life, since his body seemed to be made of nothing but black and white. He was dressed in a short black jacket that barely covered his shoulders, a high-collared midriff shirt that left his equally pale stomach bare, black shinobi pants, shinobi sandals and gloves missing the covering for his index finger and thumb. He also had, what appeared to be a short tantō sheathed across one of his shoulders. The only points of color on his entire body were a pair of red shoulder-straps that kept a small backpack secured to his back.

"And just who are you?" questioned Ino. She'd made sure to memorize nearly everyone in the school for her gossip network and information gathering, and she knew she'd never seen this guy before.

"Oh, how rude of me. My name is Sai, and I was just transferred in from a private training program for team assignments." he greeted them with a thin smile and a short bow.

Naruto studied the other young man for a moment, thinking that there was something seriously off about this guy. First, his smile looked really fake, but there was no negative intent behind it. It was like the guy was just not used to smiling so didn't have any experience with it. Then there was the fact that he'd managed to sneak up on him, a sensor. Naruto knew he wasn't an extremely skilled sensor, but he knew that for someone to sneak up on him without him even noticing, even when distracted by his readings, was still an impressive feat unless they were actively trying to remain hidden. Finally, the guy's chakra reserves were large, mid- to high-Chūnin if Naruto had to guess, the second largest in class after his own with Sasuke coming in third with low-Chūnin levels. No normal fresh Genin had levels that high, not without outside circumstances.

Shaking his head and deciding to table his suspicions for later, Naruto returned the bow. "Naruto Uzumaki, on my left is Hinata Hyūga, and on my right is Ino Yamanaka." both girls bowed as they were introduced.

Sai merely continued to smile, while inside he was pleased his mission was starting so well. _'Danzō-sama's orders were quite clear. I am to monitor the Uchiha while placed on his team to ensure that he remains a positive component of the ninja forces. If at any times he seems ready to follow his clan's negative example he is to either be captured and taken for reprogramming or eliminated before he can do any harm or join any outside force. I am also to do what I can to monitor and evaluate the Kyūbi Jinchūriki to measure his strength and abilities as well as his loyalty to Konoha, as well as gather as much information on the unknown quantity known as Theresa Casthania.'_

Danzō and his Root Division had been quite interested in Theresa since she first arrived in the village nearly eight years ago and befriended Naruto, the Kyūbi Jinchūriki. Danzō had at first suspected that she was a spy or an enemy agent here to attempt and abduct or subvert control of Konoha's Jinchūriki. However these beliefs proved largely unfounded, extensive research had found nothing to contradict the elderly woman's claims to be nothing more than a traveling fortune-teller with mysterious abilities. In an attempt to further gather information, and possibly gain new power for Konoha, Danzō had sent a small group of his elite Root to capture the woman and bring her in for interrogation. Six highly skilled shinobi were sent to obtain her shortly after she'd departed from Konoha after one of her visits.

They returned the next day, defeated. The entire group seemed to have been knocked unconscious at once, while showing no signs of physical injury or even typical genjutsu aftereffects. All six members had no memory of the encounter, only remembering confronting the woman on the road before falling unconscious to awaken several hours later. They had then thoroughly searched the area, but couldn't find any trace of the woman or whatever means she'd used to knock them out. The only sign of her was a small note the squad's leader had found placed in his hand before awakening, with a simple message:

'_One shouldn't tamper with things beyond their right or ability to control Danzō-kun. You should learn this lesson well before it costs you much more than you're willing to pay. I am no enemy of your village, but neither am I it's tool. For now I am merely an observer in a much greater play, watching over the players as they choose their roles and decide their fates.'_

That message and the woman's ability to take out a half-dozen of his elite agents with, apparently, little effort had frightened the aged war-hawk more than he'd ever care to admit. Normally this would engender him to send a larger force to eliminate this threat, but the knowledge that the woman seemed to know exactly who he was and that he was responsible made Danzō wary of confronting her again. For all intents and purposes the woman was a complete unknown in nearly every aspect, only showing that she was both extremely powerful and had information that she shouldn't possibly be able to obtain. Information was a shinobi's lifeblood, and no shinobi would enter into a battle with an obviously powerful enemy without attempting to gather some form of Intel on their abilities. Since then Danzō had focused his efforts relating to the aged seer on information gathering, keeping his distance in order to prevent an even greater disaster. This had proven more difficult than he'd expected since the Hokage and the Jinchūriki were probably the only beings in the village that knew anything concrete about the woman and Danzō couldn't approach either without giving himself away.

It had been seven years since that first encounter and Danzō barely knew more than he did that day.

So he decided to use Sai as his agent within the newly graduated Genin to accomplish his purposes. Using him to hopefully befriend the woman's apprentice and gather more information on this unknown power.

"I've heard of you Uzumaki-san, they say you are quite the talented fortuneteller." stated Sai in an attempt at friendliness.

"Oh? I wouldn't say that." chuckled the blonde. "I am merely someone who knows how to listen to gentle rumblings of fate and destiny. Would you care for a reading?"

"I would enjoy that." stated Sai. "Perhaps you could do one for me like you were for Yamanaka-san and Hyūga-san? You were finding out their teams weren't you?" This would be a good way to test if his abilities had any accuracy. He already knew his teammates and sensei from Danzō-sama.

"Correct." stated the blonde as he began shuffling the cards again. Sai continued to watch, slightly impressed by the speed of Naruto's hands, before the blonde stopped and offered him the deck. "Take the cards and channel a little bit of your chakra into them while shuffling. It helps the process and improves the accuracy of my readings a great deal." explained the blonde

Sai studied the proffered deck for a moment before nodding and doing as instructed. After a few minutes of slow shuffling Sai returned the deck and Naruto began shuffling once more.

"Alright my little friends, tell us about our new friend Sai and his future team." he whispered to the cards as he laid down four across the table. Flipping the first one of the series revealed The Pentacle. "Ah, The Pentacle. The first card in a reading usually represents the person the reading is for, marking it as their personal Tarot. The Pentacle, sometimes called The Seal, is a card that can represent both repression and stability. You are a stable and dedicated person, completely devoted to serving your goals, but part of you isn't fully realized. A portion of who you are is hidden, sealed away for some reason." stated the blonde as he studied the dark-haired boy.

For his part Sai's face remained the same, still showing only that odd smile, though internally Sai was making a note to be wary of letting the blonde do any further readings involving him or other members of Root. If a single card revealed so much information on him, he was wary of what an entire reading could show.

Flipping the next card, Naruto revealed The Magician. "The Magician, sometimes called The Scholar, a card that represents those who prize knowledge over all other forms of strength. If memory serves the only person in our class with this Tarot would be Sakura Haruno." stated the blonde with a slight nod indicating the pink-haired girl. Flipping the third card revealed The Pinwheel. "And The Pinwheel, the card of a passionate and fiery soul. Though you wouldn't believe it, it represents our class's resident emo, Sasuke Uchiha." stated the blonde as he grinned. "I pity you now Sai, being stuck with both Mr. Duckbutt and his number one fangirl, no offense Ino…"

"None taken." replied the blonde girl with a shrug.

"Anyway, moving on." he flipped the last card revealing The Hangman. "And you three shall be led by The Hangman. The Hangman represents one burdened by guilt and the mistakes of their pasts. Those represented by this card carry their pain nobly and draw wisdom from it to ensure that they never make the same mistakes again and to prevent others from sharing that pain. A sad card, but one that represents a great strength."

Sai continued to smile. "Fascinating, to be able to draw so much information from just a few little cards is truly a tremendous talent. How does it work?" he asked, only partially feigning his curiosity.

Naruto just chuckled. "It's more than simply the cards; they merely act as a focus. It's all about 'knowing how to listen,' as my teacher described it."

"Listening?" questioned Sai, one eyebrow raised ever so slightly being the only sign of his confusion. "Listening to what?"

"Many things." stated Naruto cryptically, a mysterious grin showing on his face. "The ebb and flow of time, the gentle plucking of fate's strings, the smooth babblings of destiny's flow, the harsh clatter of circumstance and many other things." Noticing the flabbergasted looks that Ino and Hinata were sending him, while Sai retained the same odd smile, Naruto snickered. "I know it sounds a little crazy, but it's just something you have to learn to be able to understand. It took me over a year of hard work before I even began to understand and start hearing things, and bāchan said I had a talent for it."

Sai looked ready to ask another question before Iruka entered the room and told everyone to quiet down and take their seats. "Alright everyone, before we start team placement, I'd like to say how proud I am of all of you. You've been an excellent group of students, each talented in your own ways and carrying your own strengths. I wish you all the best in the tests and trials you will face in your careers as shinobi. Now Team 1…"

Naruto listened silently, waiting for Iruka to call out his team, while listening for any interesting teams.

"Team 7 is Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, and Sai. Your sensei is Kakashi Hatake."

"It seems your prediction has proven quite accurate, Uzumaki-san." stated Sai in what Naruto assumed was supposed to be a friendly tone.

"Team 8 is Hinata Hyūga, Kiba Inuzuka, and Shino Aburame. Your sensei is Kurenai Yūhi."

Hinata smiled a little. She was right about her former mentor becoming her team's sensei. She was still saddened she wouldn't be on her crush's team, but at least now she knew she had a sensei she knew cared for her.

"Team 9 is still in circulation from last year. Team 10 is Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, and Chōji Akimichi. Your sensei is Asuma Sarutobi."

"That's three for three. The shinobi-seer does it again." smirked Ino, causing her fellow blonde to give a slight chuckle while blushing softly.

"Finally Special Team 11 is Naruto Uzumaki under an apprenticeship with Anko Mitarashi." finished Iruka.

This announcement had quite an effect on two students. Naruto's eyes widened at the announcement. He had expected to be placed on an ordinary team, but to find he was going under another apprenticeship was something else. Added to the fact that the woman who was going to be his teacher was one of the women he'd observed in his own romance fortune. _'Destiny does seem to love throwing curve balls at me, doesn't she?'_ thought the blonde as he shook his head.

The other genin, one Sasuke Uchiha was far less amused. In fact he was quite pissed, and working his way up to a nice lather of rage. Sasuke had no desire to be placed on a team, believing that teamwork and comrades would only end up impeding him on his path as an avenger. To hear that Naruto, the loud-mouthed, care-free, card-carrying dobe was receiving what he needed in order to gain strength was pushing the mentally disturbed (_AN__: I personally don't think calling Sasuke mentally disturbed could be titled bashing. Even in the canon Sasuke shows clear signs of obsessive behavior surrounding Itachi, as well as signs of both superiority and inferiority complexes, the latter towards Itachi and the former to a number of other particularly Naruto. Combined that and the fact that he was forced to watch his entire family murdered by his own brother and I think anyone would be a little twisted in the head_.) Uchiha to his breaking point. _'How does that dobe get an apprenticeship while I'm stuck working with a pair of weaklings that will only hold me back? I need to get stronger, I need to get more powerful so I can defeat __HIM__!'_ mentally snarled the last of the Uchiha.

As the Uchiha rose to give voice to his displeasure, he was interrupted…by a window exploding.

As said window, the one closest to the front of the class, exploded inward it was accompanied by a large bundle of, what appeared to be, black cloth. Moments before crashing to the floor with the shards of window glass, said bundle exploded backwards, launching a kunai from each corner of the roughly rectangular cloth backwards into a wall to fully reveal a banner and, more surprising, a figure hidden inside. The exploding cloth seemed to catch Iruka by surprise as well, causing the Chūnin instructor to form a rather large, man-shaped lump near the center of the banner. A banner that proudly read out:

**_THE DEADLY, SEXY, AND SINGLE ANKO MITARASHI HAS ARRIVED!_**

The figure, formerly hidden within the bundle of black cloth and now crouching on the floor, slowly stood up, revealing Anko Mitarashi in all her glory. Glory that was causing quite a number of the young males in class to either drool on themselves or suffer from serious nosebleeds. The females in class on the other hand were evenly mixed between jealousy, envy, shock, and outrage with the occasional bit of lust thrown in a well.

"Alright you snot-nosed little gakis, in case any of you can't read then the name is Anko Mitarashi. So where's my new toy…I mean student." called out Anko with a vicious smirk, causing more than a few shudders among the class's populous, though whether those shudders were from fear or something else, no one could say.

Iruka, who had just managed to carve his way out from his cloth prison using a kunai and was currently attempting to regain his breath after nearly being smothered, simply stared at the woman with a look of long-suffering annoyance. "Anko...you're early, and you broke _another_ window." he managed to mutter out.

"Mah Mah, Iruka-chan. No need to get worked up over the little details." stated Anko sweetly, waving her hand dismissively.

The class just stared at the odd exchange. Sasuke was wondering if being put on a team instead of being apprenticed to a nutball like this woman was a good thing.

"Anko that was the _twentieth_ window you've broken this _month_. I _don't_ think that counts as a _little_ detail." groaned out Iruka, stressing out every few words as if he was trying to teach a small child that a _stove_ is _hot_.

"Really? Only 20? Damn, I must be running a little slow this month." stated Anko in a disappointed tone, her hand absently rubbing her chin as she looked thoughtful for a moment. "Time sure seems to fly when you're having fun. Turning grown men into bawling babies while inflicting unimaginable amounts pain and fear on them can sure eat up the hours. I guess it's not surprising I've fallen behind on my acts of random destruction."

Iruka now appeared only a few seconds away from a suffering a conniption.

The entire class was now featuring a variety of sweat drops in varying sizes.

Sasuke had decided that he could deal with working with a team of weaklings over having to put up with a psycho like this one on a daily basis.

Naruto was partially wondering what ojīsan had been smoking when he'd assigned this woman as his sensei and wondering if he'd be able to survive this. The other, slightly smaller, part of his mind whispered, _'Well, this going to be…interesting?'_

Iruka was now massaging his face with one hand, attempting to avert, or at least stall, the nervous breakdown that Anko had a habit of causing. "Just…Just take your student and leave please." he finally managed to mutter out.

"Can do." said a grinning Anko as she gave the instructor a short salute, before she turned her attention to the class. "So which one of you gakis is Naruto Uzumaki?" she asked.

Naruto let out a sigh as he stood up. "That would be me sensei." stated the blonde calmly.

Anko gave the blonde a level appraising look before she nodded her head. "You'll do I guess. Now FOLLOW ME!" she shouted before leaping out a window…another closed window.

"ANKO! THE LEAST YOU COULD DO IS USE THE SAME WINDOW!" The sound of shattering glass was accompanied by Iruka's shout of despair and annoyance.

"G-good l-luck N-Naruto." whispered Hinata.

"You're going to need it whiskers." stated Ino.

"Do try not to die Uzumaki-san." suggested Sai with that weird cheery tone of his.

"Thank…I think." muttered the blonde as he leapt out the window, following his new sensei. The woman was leaping through the city buildings at a leisurely pace, allowing for Naruto to catch up fairly easily. "So sensei, where exactly are we going?" questioned the blonde.

"To your new home away from home, my personal training ground. Training Ground Number 44, lovingly referred to by some as the Forest of Death." stated the ever-chipper Anko.

"Charming." stated the blonde with a defeated sigh, earning a cackle in response from his sensei. _'For once destiny didn't throw me a curve ball. This time she hit me with a sucker punch.'_ thought the blonde, still not sure whether this should be exciting or terrifying.

_**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**_

_(Some time later, Clearing within the Forest of Death)_

'_Okay, it's official. This is the creepiest place on Earth and my new sensei is definitely not all there in the head.'_ confirmed the blonde as he nervously studied his surroundings.

The large forest that he was currently standing in certainly seemed to fit his description. It was filled with massive trees, many larger than most of the buildings in Konoha, that seemed to block most of the light entering the forest and bathing the underbrush in a perpetual shroud of shadows. He could only imagine how much creepier this place would be after dark. Then there were the sounds. Normally, Naruto found the sounds of a forest quite soothing, but in here there was something off about them, and extra edge to each sound that put the blonde's nerves on edge as well. Added to that was that the blonde sensor could feel a layer of chakra surrounding them, like the entire forest was alive. Normally it would have been intriguing to the young blonde, but now it just added to the place's creepiness.

His sensei had also earned her new distinction by lazily stretching out on one of the lower tree branches nearby. She was now lying flat across the branch, munching on a stick of dango she'd pulled from somewhere, and humming a happy little tune to herself while she ate. It was almost like she enjoyed the nerve-wracking atmosphere that surrounded this place.

Yup, definitely not normal.

"So gaki, what do you think of the place?" asked Anko as she happily munched on her favorite snack, tearing one of the sweet and savory dumplings off the stick before tossing the, now barren, rod over her shoulder, impaling a spider the size of a dinner plate that had been scuttling behind her.

"In all honesty sensei, this place gives me the creeps. There's this weird chakra that seems to be coming from the forest itself." answered the blonde, trying to ignore the monstrous chakra signals most of the animals in this place were giving off. Seriously, bugs were not supposed to have Genin-level chakra reserves.

"Ah, so you noticed that. Well, Hokage-sama did mention you were a sensor so I guess it's not surprising you can feel it as well." responded Anko.

"Feel what?" questioned a now curious Naruto, curiosity briefly overtaking fear and paranoia.

"This beautiful little piece of Eden," stated Anko gesturing to include the forest that surrounded them, "isn't natural. It was created during the early days of the village by the Shodaime himself using his legendary _Mokuton_ (Wood Release) abilities. It used to be his own personal training ground until the day he died. Something about the jutsu he used infused a bit of his own chakra into the forest itself, causing it and anything that lives in here to grow at a phenomenal rate. There are critters in here that you won't find anywhere else in the world due to that chakra; insects as big as you, tigers and other predators bigger than a small house, and carnivorous plants that seem to have a mind of their own. All thanks to our beloved Shodaime's love of testing his and his students' limits."

Naruto's eyes widened a little at that. The entire forest was created using a single jutsu? And that same jutsu was still working and affecting the terrain after nearly a hundred years. The Shodaime must have been something else when he was alive. "Amazing." breathed out the blonde, before he refocused on his teacher. "I take it that's the reason for the barrier infused into the fence surrounding this place?"

"Smart boy." commented Anko with a smirk. "That barrier's there for two reasons. One is to keep the critters that live here inside and prevent them from eating any stupid civilian or weakling that gets too close. The other is to keep the forest from spreading. After the Shodaime died, the forest's chakra seemed to go a little out of control, spreading out and affecting other areas, causing the forest itself to spread at a much faster rate than normal. Rather than destroy it, the Nidaime had the barrier fence created to contain it. I guess he figured it could still be useful to the village." she finished with a shrug.

"That or he simply didn't want to destroy a remnant of his recently lost brother." stated the blonde offhandedly.

Anko merely shrugged again. "That could be part of it to I suppose." she stated finished another dango skewer, before throwing the stick over her shoulder. "Anyway, the reason that we're here is that you, my dear gaki, have had the honor of being apprenticed to my glorious self. Now why don't we get to know each other a little better with some introductions? I'll start. My name is Anko Mitarashi. My likes are dango, my friends, poisons, blood, snakes, and my job in the T&I department. My dislikes are arrogant bastards, spicy foods, my former sensei, sexist behavior, and anyone who thinks they can mess with me. My hobbies are training, working at the T&I department, conducting tea ceremonies, and munching on dango with my friends. My dream for the future is to find my former sensei and eliminate him and then become the next head of the Torture and Interrogation department." Naruto noted that a dark look seemed to enter her eyes every time she mentioned her sensei. "Now it's your turn gaki."

Naruto gave her a brief nod before beginning. "My name is Naruto Uzumaki. My likes are my friends, ramen, obāchan and ojīsan, fortune-telling, and sunsets. My dislikes are people who judge others without getting to know them, vegetables, and sunrises. My hobbies are training, telling fortunes, and gardening. My dream for the future is threefold: to become Hokage, to be a great Hero, and to…to have a large and happy family." he finished the last part quietly under his breath, but Anko still caught it.

'_Well, at least the kid knows how to dream big.'_ though Anko absently. "Alright gaki, now normally I'd be forced to give you a test based on teamwork to determine whether or not you had the ability to advance to full genin rank, but since you and I are on an apprenticeship that won't be happening." a cruel smirk suddenly grew on her face. "Instead we're going to be doing something a little different."

"Different how sensei?" gulped Naruto, not liking the look in her eyes at all.

"Oh nothing too complicated. You and me are just going to have a nice little spar. Starting right now." with that Anko rushed forward and threw a punch at Naruto's face.

Naruto quickly ducked beneath the punch, only to be met by a vicious kick to the stomach before he could recover, sending him flying backwards onto his back.

"Oh, and I wouldn't hold anything back in this little spar Naruto-chan, otherwise I might accidently kill you." added Anko sweetly as she smirked at the prone blonde.

"Duly noted sensei." grunted Naruto as he quickly regained his feet and settled into a taijutsu stance.

"Good." grinned Anko, before she rushed forward again, aiming another punch to the head.

This time Naruto leapt backward into a handstand before launching himself forward again with a double kick aimed at his new sensei's head. Anko easily caught the kick before throwing the blonde. Naruto was able to recover midair and landed in a crouch before launching himself forward; firing a barrage of punches and kicks at his opponent. Anko easily bobbed and weaved around his attacks.

'_Alright, his physical conditioning is very good for a fresh genin, but he seems to lack a real taijutsu style outside the Academy Basic.'_ concluded Anko as she ducked under another punch before throwing a punch of her own at her student's stomach. Naruto quickly dodge to the side and aimed another strike at his sensei's side. Anko easily dodged again before launching a roundhouse that took her new apprentice directly to his chin, only for the blonde to explode in a puff of smoke, replaced with a log.

'_Substitution._' thought Anko. Instantly, Naruto appeared behind Anko in midair, his right leg raised in order to deliver a heel drop. Anko noticed that the limb was coated in a swirling nimbus of red sparks. As Naruto brought the limb down an explosion of earth and dirt surrounded the impact, along with splinter from the wooden log he'd just kicked.

"Substitution?" muttered the blonde, before he was sent flying backward once again due to the backhand his sensei had just delivered to his face, this time connecting with one of his cheeks.

"So I'm guessing that little trick was the Strength part of your bloodline?" questioned Anko as she watched her new student regain his feet again before once more settling into a stance.

"Correct sensei, though I'm still trying to get the hang of activating it at will." responded the blonde, as a nimbus of swirling yellow sparks covered his body. "Now here's Skill." growled the blonde as he disappeared in a burst of speed, only to reappear directly in front of her with a fist connected to her stomach.

Anko groaned before exploding in a puff of smoke. "What the hell?" muttered Naruto as he stepped back.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clones Technique). A very useful little technique if you have the reserves for it." stated Anko's voice, from directly behind him.

"Shit!" Naruto quickly tried to leap away, only for Anko to grab him by the neck of his cloak and throw him across the clearing.

Naruto readjusted himself midflight once again to land in a crouch. _'Okay, trying to fight her in taijutsu isn't a good idea. Better switch to something I'm better with.'_ concluded the blonde as he held out one hand and activated the storage seal on his glove, summoning his staff, before falling into a bōjutsu stance.

"Taking it up a notch are we gaki?" questioned Anko, her grin growing slightly wider "Well that's fine with me." she finished and, with a flip of her wrist, a kunai appeared in her hand before she launched it at the blonde.

Naruto easily deflected the incoming missile with his staff before launching forward on the attack again. Anko had already drawn another kunai and quickly blocked the overhand attack from the blonde's staff. The two began to trade blows once again, Naruto striking or stabbing with his shakujō while Anko deflected the blows with her kunai.

'_Not bad, the kid's using the length of his staff to his advantage, keeping out of reach of my attacks while launching his own.'_ thought Anko as she blocked another blow, this time angling the kunai so the thrust would skid over the blade and overextend the kid's reach. This threw Naruto off-balance long enough for Anko to close the distance and deliver another kick to the blonde's stomach. Naruto was able to recover his balance quickly enough to leap backward, avoiding the blow, before he fell into a new stance.

Naruto rushed forward before using his staff as a pole-vault to launch himself forward and upward into the air. While in the air he began to rapidly roll, bringing his staff to bare in a brutal rolling strike. "**Sarufū: Yamazaru Tenrakurai**! (Monkey Style: Mountain Monkey, Rolling Thunder)" shouted the blonde as he brought the staff downward.

Anko was surprised by the sudden shift in the blonde's movements when he launched himself forward, but was able to recover quickly enough to dodge the strike. The descending staff left a decent-sized crater in the ground where it struck, sending chunks of earth and stone skyward and showing just how much power the attack had behind it.

"Sarufū? Isn't that Hokage-sama's style?" questioned Anko as she landed across the clearing.

"Who do you think taught me?" questioned the blonde with a grin as he quickly got up from the crouch his landing had put him in, swing the staff up and bringing it into a defensive position. "Granted ojīsan didn't have enough time on his hands to do anything more than teach me the basics and give me a few scrolls, but still."

'_To learn such an advanced form of bōjutsu just from scrolls and a few basic lessons? This kid is just full of surprises_.' though a grinning Anko. Deciding it was time to test the kid's defenses with that toy of his, she charged forward and began attacking with her kunai. This time it was Naruto's turn to be on the defensive, moving to block and dodge each swipe of Anko's kunai.

'_Damn it, she's really good. What I need is a distraction.'_ thought the blonde. Deflecting the next blow of the kunai, Naruto jumped back and reached into his pouch and drew the card he needed. As Anko attempted to close the distance he threw it to the ground in front of him and shouted, "_The Dawn!_" causing the card to explode in a massive burst of bright white light.

Anko hissed in pain as she moved her arm to shield her eyes while leaping backward. Rapidly blinking her eyes to clear them from the disorienting blindness of the sudden flash, she barely had time to dodge a flying slash from Naruto's staff.

Taking advantage of her still blurry vision Naruto resealed his staff before forming a single ram seal and calling out, "**Ijiton: Oshi Kyōsei**! (Will Release: Force Push)." before spreading his hands wide open, palms facing outward in front of him. From his hands the air seemed to ripple, like small waves distorting a pond's reflection, forming a broad wave of rippling energy. The rippling energy seemed to flow through the air, flying directly at Anko.

Anko was struck by the ripple-like wave before she had a chance to dodge and was instantly thrown backwards. To Anko it felt like she was suddenly hit by a massive wave or a gust of wind. It didn't hurt, not exactly, but felt like something was shoving her from everywhere the wave hit. What did hurt was when she slammed into a tree, the force of the impact and her flying momentum causing a great deal of pain.

'_Shit, that hurt, and I don't think getting up's going to be easy. Better keep the gaki at a distance so I can recover.' _Hissing in pain Anko performed a set of handseals before raising one arm as she shouted out, "**Seneijashu**! (Hidden Shadow Snake Hands)" launching a trio of black snakes from her coat's sleeve.

Naruto quickly leaped backward while releasing a trio of cards from his sleeve holster into his hand and threw them at the snakes. He was quite surprised when all three swerved out of the incoming projectiles path and continued toward him.

"That's not good, better try something else." muttered the blonde as he did a trio of handseals, before reaching into his shirt and drawing a full deck of cards. "**Karuta Jutsu: Gojuni no Utsu**! (Playing Card Technique: Lash of Fifty-two)." Instantly the cards began to flow outward, the bottom of one connected to the top of the next, forming a long whip-like strand. Naruto quickly brought his arm around and lashed downward at the snakes using his card whip.

The whip seemed to flow through the air. The snakes quickly moved to dodge only for the whip to flow around and follow them, coiling around all three like a snake itself. With a quick tug from Naruto the lash seemed to constrict, chakra-sharpened edges cutting through flesh and bone and beheading all three snakes in an instant. Naruto then brought his lash back and began spinning it above his head before leaping forward and sending it flying towards Anko.

Anko, who'd managed to recover from his previous attack, instantly tried to leap out of the way, only for the cards to swerve to intercept, stretching impossibly to follow her. The cards managed to hit, coiling around her leg. Anko instantly began a set of handseals turning her head to face the offending instrument. "**Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu**! (Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique)." shouted the snake-mistress, before she breathed out a short, scorching line of fire that quickly ignited the cards just below her legs, before the flames began flowing backwards along their length, flying at Naruto at an impressive speed.

The flames quickly reached the young blonde and engulfed him in a halo of flame, only for him to burst into a puff of smoke replaced by a log.

"Another substitution, Gaki's pretty good at that one." muttered Anko with a slight grin.

"_The Sun_." called out Naruto's voice from the nearby woods, as a small fireball suddenly flew directly at Anko from the nearby forest.

Anko quickly leapt away, avoiding the exploding fireball. "So the gaki wants to fight from a distance now? Okay, Anko can play that game to." stated the grinning jounin, before she began a series of handsigns. "**Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu**! (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique)" shouted the purple-haired kunoichi as she launched a large fireball of her own toward where Naruto's had come from.

"_The Toad_" called out the blonde from his own perch hidden in the trees while he threw another card, which quickly transformed into a large orb of water.

The two attacks met in an explosion of steam and boiling water. When the steam cleared Anko had disappeared. As Naruto scanned the area for her, she suddenly appeared directly behind him in a swirl of leaves with her kunai pressed firmly against his neck.

"Not bad gaki, you actually have some talent, but here's a little advice. Never stand still in a fight, particularly when you don't know where your enemy is. That just paints a big target on your back." stated Anko with a rather large smirk.

"I appreciate the advice Anko-sensei, but I'm not beaten yet." stated the blonde before he dissolved into a pile of playing cards.

"What? A Bunshin?" called out Anko as she looked around, before feeling a sudden spike in chakra. Turning she found Naruto standing on a higher branch a half-dozen trees away, a single card held in his hand as he focused chakra into it. Before Anko could move Naruto finished charging the card and threw it. "_The Tiger_!" roared the blonde as he let the card fly.

Midflight the card erupted into a large tiger made completely out of flames. The flaming missile let out a massive roar of its own as it barreled toward Anko, connecting before exploding in a massive fireball.

Panting heavily from using such a powerful card, Naruto grinned. "Looks like I got you that time sensei." stated the blonde proudly, only to wince as he felt the cold steel of a kunai blade pressed firmly against his jugular.

"Not quite gaki. You get an A for effort though." stated a grinning Anko from directly behind him.

"Bunshin?" questioned the blonde

"Got it one gaki. Kage Bunshin is such a useful technique, though it looks like you've got a fairly impressive one yourself." answered Anko with a teasing grin.

"My _Karuta Bunshin_ (Playing Card Clone)? They're okay, and an effective decoy, but I can only make one or two at a time, and they take a lot of cards to make. That Kage Bunshin technique on the other hand looks very nice." answered Naruto with a shrug before he noticed the knife still pressed against his throat. "Um, can you remove the kunai now, I admit I lost."

Anko shrugged before removing the blade from his throat and repocketing it. "I'll teach it to you later. All it requires is really big chakra reserves and from what I know about you that's a given. What about that technique you used earlier; _Oshi Kyōsei_? I've never seen a jutsu like that one."

"That was one of my bloodline's Will techniques. Bāchan left it for me along with some scrolls on how to use Strength and Skill effectively the other day to read through while I recovered. She said that it was so I could, 'strengthen my mind while my body rests.' Personally, I think it was just to keep me from going crazy with boredom." he finished with a slight shrug.

"And why were you holding that card for so long near the end?" questioned Anko, deciding to get as much information as possible.

"Oh, the stronger my cards are the more chakra I need to charge them with in order for them to be used effectively. I can charge most of my lower level ones instantly, but for my stronger cards it takes a while to charge them completely. Baa-chan says that my speed with it will improve as my chakra control does." answered the blonde honestly.

Anko made a mental note to include some extensive chakra control exercises in her future lessons. A few seconds in combat could be the difference between life or death for a shinobi in combat. "Alright gaki, I'm fairly impressed with how you did. Now before we call it a day I want you to tell me what each and every one of those little cards of yours does."

Naruto nodded and began explaining the abilities of each of his cards, with Anko occasionally stopping to ask for clarification of a fact or two. After nearly an hour Anko told him to go home get some rest and she'd meet him outside the forest's main gate at eight sharp.

**____****~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**_~~~~~~~~ JUTSU IDENTIFICATION ~~~~~~~_**

**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu **(Shadow Clone Technique): _B-rank supplementary ninjutsu_. An advanced form of Bunshin, Shadow Clones are created by compressing and dividing the user's chakra. The user's chakra is evenly distributed among every clone, giving each clone an equal fraction of the user's overall power. The clones are capable of performing techniques on their own and can even bleed, but will usually disperse after one or two solid blows. They can also disperse on their own. The clones will be created in roughly the same condition as the original.

**Sarufū: Yamazaru Tenrakurai **(Monkey Style: Mountain Monkey, Rolling Thunder): _C-ranked offensive_ _bōjutsu technique_. A technique from the Sarufū School of bōjutsu, the user first runs forward to gather momentum before using their staff as a lever to launch themselves upward and forward. While midair the user levels their staff outward while beginning to roll. The combination of the momentum from both flying through the air and the rapid spinning drastically increases the attack's power.

_The Dawn_: One of Naruto's lower level cards. When activated the dawn explodes in a massive explosion of light, temporarily blinding and disorienting nearly anyone who is looking at it.

**Ijiton: Oshi Kyōsei **(Will Release: Force Push): _D-rank, offensive/supplementary Ijiton ninjutsu_. The most basic Ijiton technique, this technique creates a powerful blast of invisible, concussive energy which radiates out from the user's hands, sending those in its path sprawling. While not directly damaging, this technique can cause harm by either slamming targets into nearby objects or throwing them off cliffs or into other dangers. It is also incredibly fast since it only requires one hand seal, Ram, before being released.

**Seneijashu **(Hidden Shadow Snake Hands): _C-rank, offensive, summoning ninjutsu_. This technique allows the user to eject snakes from their wrist or sleeve, usually after a punching motion. The snakes are used primarily to attack from a distance and, being snakes, can inflict multiple poisonous wounds on the victim's body or hold them in place.

**Karuta Jutsu: Gojuni no Utsu **(Playing Card Technique: Lash of Fifty-two): _C-rank, offensive ninjutsu_. The user channels chakra into a deck of cards to link them together while sharpening their outer edges in order to form a roughly 16 foot, whip-like, extension of cards. This lash can be manipulated to the user's will by manipulating the chakra within the cards and can also extend up to twice its normal length.

**Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu **(Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique): _C-rank, Katon, offensive/supplementary ninjutsu_. The user breathes fire along a cord or any other type of long object, which rushes forward along the object before catching the enemy on fire. A line of enemies can be used as the conductor as well. The flames are meant to target, and assault the enemy's upper body just like a projectile weapon. With enough chakra this technique can also be used to set the entire wire ablaze as either an attack or preparation for another technique

_The Sun_: One of Naruto lower level cards. When activated and thrown this card turns into a small fireball. When the fireball comes into contact with any object or person it detonates in a large fiery explosion. Also capable of being used as a sort of mine trap, when left lying on a surface after charging it will detonate when a new chakra source comes in contact with it or its user willingly activates it.

**Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu **(Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique): _C-rank, Katon, offensive ninjutsu_. A technique where chakra kneaded inside the body is converted into fire, and expelled from the mouth in a massive orb of roaring flame or as a continuous flamethrower. The scope of the attack is altered by controlling the volume of chakra that is mustered. The released flames will engulf their target, and leave a crater on the ground's surface.

_The Toad_: One of Naruto's lower level cards. When activated and thrown this card turns into a large sphere of highly condensed water that accelerates and deals a large amount of damage on a direct hit.

**Karuta Jutsu: Karuta Bunshin **(Playing Card Technique: Playing Card Clone): _C-rank, supplementary ninjutsu_. A Bunshin technique that uses playing cards as a medium for the jutsu, the clones are unique in that they can use Karuta ninjutsu using their bodies as bases and can even hide exploding tags within themselves. 1 Deck creates 1 Bunshin. _Note_: Advanced Bunshin like the Shadow and Card clones can use Naruto's special cards, but they are removed from all decks when they are activated.

_The Tiger_: One of Naruto's upper level cards. When activated it creates a large tiger-shaped mass of flames that launches at the target. The construct has a simple intelligence and is able to dodge or avoid many obstacles in pursuit of its target. Once it receives a solid contact it explodes in a massive fireball.

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**_END CHAPTER 9_**

**_READ & REVIEW_**


	10. The Start of Something…Unique?

**Naruto: A Seer's Fable**

**REVIEW RESPONSE:**

**Ragnarok Warrior**: True enough and thanks for the praise. However you've got to remember that this was before he went to the snakey psycho so his psyche has been as badly abused, yet anyway.

**Lazruth**: Thanks, and people do tend to overplay Anko's personality at times. Yes she is flirty, sadistic, and more than a little unhinged, but she's not nearly as bad as some of the fics paint her. I'm going to try to stick to my view of her: a slightly crazy, sadistic, and flirty but an overall decent and responsible kunoichi.

**Bloodwolf432**: Typos my bad, I fix.

**Wandering Sage**: Anything is possible, but we'll have to wait and see.

**Kyukon**: Chapters 2 and 3 mixed have the pairings if you're willing to look for them

**Zakmarl of Rexxar**: Thanks, I've actually never tried introducing Sai this early before so it should be fun. I agree that giving him something like a .50 caliber would be over the top, but the guns here are limited to Fable weapons: Flintworks, Clockworks, and Turrets. As for other Fable stuff…well you'll have to wait and see, mostly because I'm not fully sure myself.

**Psudocode Samurai**: I also enjoy Kurenai-sensei fics, and intend to use it in future stories.

**YoukoTaichou**: Possible but that won't come for a little while. It's a B-rank going on A-rank technique after all.

**raw666**: I like to see Kiba as a confrontational character, whether as a horn dog or just trying to prove his alphaness and I can go either way in most fics. Since he's on Hinata's team in this fic it will probably stay on the Alpha mark.

**syed**: Interesting ideas, but the truth will be revealed in time.

**Epic-Kx**: 1) My motive for introducing Sai was simply to allow an apprenticeship under Anko, retaining the balance of the other three-man cells without having to introduce an OC or completely random character. 2) Afraid no Tayuya in this one, but I like her so she'll definitely make an appearance in my other stories. 3) Interesting idea, and it may be accurate, and I'm leaning toward a mix of both Reapers, a bit of charming anti-heroic rouge with a nice dark side.

**the master mooma**: Interesting idea for Reaper, we'll have to see now won't we. As for spell-weaving, I'm not going to say yet other than it will appear in some way or shape.

_To everyone else that reviewed I thank you for your time and support._

"Human Speech"

'_Human Thought'_

**"Demon/Summons Speech"**

**'_Demon/Summons Thought'_**

**Jutsu** or _Card_

_**Author Note: To all my esteemed readers, I'd first like to apologize for the delay in updating my stories, for I have been having a bit of an unlucky streak over the past couple months. I originally began writing this chapter shortly after I posted the Zanpakutō poll on my homepage. However approximately two days before Thanksgiving, when I had originally hoped to post this chapter, I suffered the first bit of bad luck. I was returning home from grocery shopping when I lost my balance on a recently mopped floor, resulting in me launching a gallon of milk I was carrying through the air. I should also mention my writing station, an office desk my father formerly used to run an online auction site before his untimely demise due to a preexisting heart condition, is situated directly outside the kitchen across a narrow bar. Needless to say, it did not end well and my poor laptop, which had served me well for nearly two years, was completely fried. After Thanksgiving I was able to procure a new one, thankfully I'd taken a three-year accident warranty on my older one when I first obtained it, but was unable to retrieve any data from my old one. Sadly my bad luck did not end there. A few weeks later as I was working to rewrite the chapter into what it is now, I was participating in annual tradition many of you may be familiar with: the hanging of Christmas lights outside the house. I was again met bad luck due to a recent frost that had left a sheet of ice concealed on our roof; again I think I need no further explanation for what happened. Luckily my house is fairly low to the ground and I managed to land on the grass. Unfortunately, the aforementioned frost had frozen the ground solid. I am currently typing one-handed as my right arm is housed in a cast and sling for the foreseeable future. **_

_**Again I apologize for the delay in posting and apologize in advance for the delays in future releases my injured arm will no doubt cause**_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Fable, or anything other than my own original ideas for this story**

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**Chapter 10: The Start of Something…Unique?**

_(The Next Evening, The Drunken Leaf Bar)_

Given the nature of their profession it isn't surprising that most shinobi require places to relax and unwind. Most would find their homes to be suitable places, but there would always be a need for more public places, places where one could escape even the small stresses of a person's home-life. This is where places like The Drunken Leaf Bar comes in.

The Drunken Leaf was one of several similar establishments that catered to a 'shinobi-only' clientele, offering the shinobi of Konoha a quiet place to relax and escape the pressure of their chosen occupation and enjoy themselves for a time without the stresses of everyday life. The Drunken Leaf offered a wide barroom with plenty of space between the tables to give its clients plenty of privacy, a variety of drinks at a reasonable price, and a, mostly, quiet and peaceful atmosphere to enjoy them in, making it a favorite meeting spot for Konoha's shinobi population.

Personally Anko preferred places that were a little livelier when she wanted a drink, but the place at least had a damn good selection of booze. Anko and her fellow new senseis had agreed to meet here after they'd given their genin their own versions of the exams and reported to the Hokage, deciding to celebrate the promotion of their own students to full-fledged genin as well as themselves into full-time senseis.

Anko flopped into a seat at an empty table with an audible sigh, and motioned for a bottle of sake and a glass. It was now the end of her first day as a sensei, and boy had it been an exhausting one. She'd decided to spend the day getting a full measure of her gaki's abilities. She'd tested him on everything she could think of, ranging from taijutsu sparring, to genjutsu recognition and application, to ninjutsu knowledge, and then onto more specialized fields. The end result had given her a fairly accurate idea of the kid's abilities and a good base to start planning his training.

From what she'd seen, right now the gaki was a classic tool user. Tool users were ninja who specialized in the use of one or more specific ninja items. Weapon masters, Puppet wielders, Trap masters, Seal Masters; they were all classified under the category of 'Tool User.' This made tool users one of the broadest and most varied categories a ninja could fall under. Right now the gaki specialized in wielding his staff and sword combo, which he'd shown her during training, and those unique cards of his, both the Tarot and playing cards. Still Anko wasn't too happy about the gaki ranking as one.

Anko didn't believe in specialization.

"When you specialize in something, it leaves you with a number of weaknesses. No technique, no style, no weapon is completely perfect; there will always be a weakness." Those were the words that Anko's former sensei, the snake sannin Orochimaru, had driven into her mind when she'd first started training under him. Despite her complete and utter loathing for the man, Anko had never disagreed with that lesson and several others that the snake sannin had taught her. Her former sensei may have been an utter and complete bastard and a total psychopath, but he was still a master shinobi and a certified genius.

So throughout her time training, even after being abandoned by or deserting the Snake Sannin, Anko still wasn't sure which had actually happened, Anko had worked and trained to wield a variety of ninja arts. Her main talents lied in ninjutsu, taijutsu, and of course the craft of interrogation, which she could be considered a master of, but she was also skilled in weaponry, genjutsu, and the crafting of poisons, and was even a fair hand when it came to fūinjutsu, a lot of which was learned in her previous quest to remove her master's 'twisted hickey.' It was a far cry from her former teacher's desire for mastery of every type and form of jutsu known to man, but it was nothing to sneeze at either. Hell it was more than most of her now fellow jounin could claim. Anko was true believer of the 'Jack of All Trades, Master of Some' philosophy.

Still it wasn't a complete disaster. The gaki was still young, and he'd responded well when she'd explained her philosophy, agreeing with the fact that there were several weaknesses in his current style of fighting and eagerly asking for ways to fix them and improve himself. The blonde-haired jinchūriki was quite the eager student and seemed ready to do whatever it took to improve himself. Anko liked that. It meant the kid would actually be fun to train and would put all his efforts into correcting his flaws.

Anko smiled a little at that, the gaki was good for his age, better than most, but the kid knew and accepted that he was far from being Jounin-level, let alone a Kage-level. He'd already known where his biggest weaknesses were before she'd pointed them out to him, and was eager to fix them. The kid would definitely be a lot of fun to train. She slowly took a sip of her sake as she thought about the kid's skills and the weaknesses she needed to correct.

First there was the kid's taijutsu. Physically speaking, the kid was in great shape. The kid's muscles were already developing nicely and would continue to do so for a few more years. He was lean and sleek, designed for speed and agility in addition to bursts of strength. That, combined with the kid's kekkai genkai would make him a dangerous fighter with the proper style. The kid was also a certified stamina freak. He'd probably be able to outlast most Chūnin and even a few Jounin in terms of raw endurance. It actually made Anko slightly envy whatever girl, or _girls_ as the case may be considering the gaki was under the CRA, managed to snag the blonde. He'd certainly keep her busy, and probably very, _very_ happy.

'_Lucky bitch.'_ though the snake charmer absently, before she shook her head and returned to her contemplations.

Really the only thing the kid was missing was a proper style. He was fairly skilled at the Academy Basic, but that wouldn't do at all. She'd admit that it was an excellent introductory style, helping teach aspiring shinobi the proper forms and other basic aspects of taijutsu as well as helping them develop all their core muscle groups, but the Basic style was just that; basic. It didn't expand on any core principles and didn't feature any unique techniques. In other words it was just a bare-bones fighting style, no tricks, no techniques, no nothing. Any shinobi facing an opponent with similar abilities using the Academy Basic against nearly any proper taijutsu style would quickly lose. That only left her with deciding what style to teach him.

Most shinobi start out with a single taijutsu style and worked towards mastering it, most reaching that point sometime during the latter part of their Chūnin careers before advancing to Jounin. Jounin usually know one key, or core, style, and the basics of a few others which they blend into their own to cover its weaknesses, some even developing it into an entirely new style. An excellent example would be Maito Gai, Konoha's leading taijutsu expert. The man had not only mastered the _Gōken_ (Strong Fist) style to a degree most would have believed impossible, but had also developed his skills and understanding of dozens of other styles. She herself had mastered her own style and had the basics of several other styles memorized.

Currently she was leaning toward teaching the kid her personal style, the _Hebiken_ (Snake Fist). It was a style that combined speed and precision with acrobatic movements to mimic the slithering and lunging movements of an angered snake in addition to bursts of explosive power for precision strikes to simulate a snake's devastating bite. It would mesh well with the kid's physical build and, combined with his bloodline, would become a truly devastating force if he could master it correctly. The only real downside was the hit it would cause to the kid's reputation. After all, the kid had it bad enough with the Kyūbi sealed inside him, and she doubted learning the infamous Snake Sannin's fighting style would win him any more points in the popularity department.

Then again it's not like the kid's approval rating could drop much lower. Besides she was never one to care what others thought about her, and her student shouldn't be either.

Shaking her head, Anko decided to let it be for now, she'd give the kid the options when she started training his taijutsu and let him decide, that was probably the best way to handle this. Moving on, her thoughts turned to the next part of the kid's skill array: his tools.

First there was that staff of his. The kid's shakujō was a pretty unique choice. Staffs were a fairly common weapon, even among shinobi. They had a good combination of offensive and defensive strength along with impressive reach and the ability to be used for both lethal and nonlethal combat. But a shakujō combined elements of a spear and a staff adding an entirely new level to the equation. The downside was that both weapons required both hands to use properly, limiting the user's ability to use handsigns while in combat, and were greatly hindered when fighting in tight quarters.

The blonde's sword added _another_ level to the equation. _Shikomizue_ (sword canes) and other forms of concealed weapons were fairly common ninja weapons, even if they'd fallen out of favor with the younger generation which preferred flashier techniques, but the design of the gaki's was pretty unique. Most hidden swords were little more than long knives, but the gaki's blade, while thin, was long enough to be compared to one of the smaller categories of swords. It was a fast blade, designed for speed and precision, and looked more inclined for stabbing than slashing, Anko vaguely remembered seeing a similar blade in the past, an import the traveling merchant had said came from a continent to the west, which the merchant had called a 'rapier.'

Combined the two weapons were a pretty effective close-range combo. The shakujō had better reach and more power, but the sword was faster and left one of the gaki's hands free. There was also the fact that the blonde could use the remaining portion of the staff as a baton. Anko had sparred a little with the kid using just that strategy and it was damned effective, not to mention the remainder of the staff had a few tricks hidden in it as well. So overall it was an effective close-ranged weapon. Still it had its weaknesses. First, in order for the kid to switch to sword he had to unsheathe it from the staff and afterwards the kid couldn't use his staff any longer without resheathing his sword, both actions eating up time, which was dangerous in a fight.

Then there were the cards. The kid carried at least a dozen decks of seemingly normal playing cards everywhere he went, each one enhanced with seals to turn them into razor-edged projectiles at a moment's notice. The blonde carried most of them in a set of pockets just inside the inner lining of his kimono, but he also carried several in a pair of wrist sheathes. The sheathes themselves were pretty impressive. A pair of light leather bracers strengthened across the top with metal bands and a trio of storage seals engraved along the bottom. Each seal could release a certain kind of projectile into the blonde's waiting hands, one holding shuriken, the other kunai, and the third his playing cards. When she'd asked where he got them, Naruto had told her they were a birthday gift last year from his friend Tenten, whose family owned the Ten Point Weapon Shop.

But the real kicker was the kid's 'Tarot Cards.' Those little trinkets were pretty damned amazing and she'd honestly admit she wouldn't mind getting her hands on a few herself. The little things ran the gambit from offensive, to defensive, to supplementary jutsu; each capable of being released without any handsigns, only channeling a little chakra into them. Still they had their weaknesses as well. It took time to fully charge the stronger cards and they were limited in number to how many the gaki could use before he had to take some time and let them regenerate. Overall they were a useful supplement, but not a replacement, for a shinobi's ninjutsu roster.

Overall the kid had a nice variety of toys on his side. She could easily think up a few other tricks and gimmicks to teach him to help round him out and add a new level to his current combat abilities.

Next there was genjutsu. The kid had admitted right off that genjutsu was probably his biggest weak-point. The kid's massive reserves and relatively poor control made the precision work needed for genjutsu nearly impossible for the kid in his current state. The kid did have a talent for identifying and dispelling, thanks to his sensor and seer training, but couldn't actually cast one to save his life. Yet.

To Anko the solution was pretty simple: extensive control training. Control training had already been high on her list of things to do with the gaki after she'd learned how it affected how quickly he could charge up his cards, this only reaffirmed that decision. From what she'd seen the kid's control already wasn't too terrible, it just wasn't enough to match up with his reserves. She'd already started the kid on tree walking earlier in the day, and she had plenty of ideas on how to expand on that as the need arose. Hopefully in a few months the kid would have good enough control that she could at least teach him a few tricks.

Finally there was the part that was causing Anko her current headache: ninjutsu.

So far the kid had a few under his belt. Mostly jutsu designed to use those playing cards of his and one designed to augment his sensor abilities. She already knew about those and while she couldn't teach the kid any sensor skills herself, there were quite a few sensors in the I&T department who owed her a favor or three. All she'd have to do is cash a few in to get the kid some more intense sensor training. Anyway, the kid seemed to have a natural talent for ninjutsu, and she already had a few ideas for some she could teach him. The problem had come at the end of their day. She'd wanted to test the gaki's affinities to see which elemental techniques she could teach him, and then it had happened.

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Flashback no Jutsu~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

"Alright Gaki, before we finish up for the day, I just want to test one more thing." stated Anko as she looked at the slightly panting blonde.

"Sure thing…Anko-sensei." puffed out the blonde between breaths. The last few hours had been pretty intense.

"Good boy, now this is a pretty simple test. I just want you to take this piece of paper," she stated, pulling a small, rectangular piece of thick paper out of a pocket in her trench coat, "and channel as much of your chakra into it as you can."

Naruto took the paper and gave his sensei a questioning look. "What for Anko-sensei?"

"It's to test your elemental affinities." seeing the blonde's blank look Anko continued. "Each person is born with an affinity for one of the five elements: Fire, Wind, Lightning, Earth, and Water. These affinities have a circular pattern that is associated with them in accordance with their strengths and weaknesses" she explained as she drew a small diagram in the ground containing five circles in a rough pentagram formation, "In other words, Fire is strong against Wind," she drew the kanji for fire in the top circle and wind in the one next to it going clockwise before connecting the two with a line, "Wind is strong against Lightning," she drew the kanji for lightning in the next circle before connecting it to wind "Lightning is strong against Earth," she added the next kanji and line, "Earth is strong against Water," she put the kanji for water in the last circle before connecting it to earth, "and Water is strong against Fire. Follow me so far gaki?" finished the purple-haired jounin as she finished her chart, connecting the last circle to the first, forming a circle.

"I think so sensei." answered the blonde, his face scrunched slightly in thought. "Does that mean that a fire jutsu will always beat a wind one?" he asked curiously.

"Not necessarily gaki." answered Anko. "It's all a matter of proportions. A B-ranked Wind technique will easily overwhelm a D-ranked Fire technique, but if both are C-ranked, then fire will usually win. Now, even if you have a wind affinity, that doesn't mean you can't learn a lightning technique, it is just that wind techniques will come to you easier than a lightning technique. Understand?" Anko asked, to which Naruto nodded again, "So, let's find out your affinity. Channel some chakra into the paper and we'll see what happens. If it cuts, you're wind. If it burns, you're fire. If it crumbles away, you're earth. If it gets soggy, you're water. If it crumples up, you're lightning."

Naruto nodded his head and began to channel chakra into the paper. After a few seconds the paper split down the middle while the left half started to burn and the right half started to glow a pale blue.

Anko blinked. "Wow. A dual affinity at your age, that's pretty rare outside of clans with elemental bloodlines." stated Anko offhandedly. "Don't know what the hell the glowing means though."

"Maybe it represents my _Ijiton_ (Will Release)?" offered the blonde.

Anko shrugged. "Makes as much sense as any other explanation. Alright gaki, go home, get some rest and meet me back here same time tomorrow morning."

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Flashback no Jutsu: RELEASE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

Ankomassaged her temples with one hand while taking a sip of sake with the other. The Will Release thing she could handle, Theresa had provided the kid with several scrolls on a variety of Ijiton techniques before she'd left the other day, and from what she'd seen of them she could probably help the kid if he got stuck on anything. _Katon_ (Fire Release) was likewise not a problem; she had a fire affinity herself along with her trained earth and lightning affinities, so she could teach the gaki plenty of those. But Wind!? _Fūton_ (Wind Release) affinities were the rarest affinities in the nations, with only Suna supporting a significant percentage of them. There were less than a half-dozen wind-users in Konoha and none she knew well enough to be able to get them to teach the gaki without offering something big in return. The only question was what?

"Earth to Anko, are you in there?" a voice suddenly disturbed her from her musings.

Looking up Anko found the face of her long-time friend Kurenai Yūhi. In Anko's humble opinion, Kurenai represented exactly how a kunoichi should look: beautiful and mysterious. She stood just an inch taller than Anko, at about 5'6" or 5'7," with dark, untamed, raven-black hair that flowed down past her shoulders. She had a stern face with strong features and wore a bit of makeup; usually some dark red lipstick and purple eye shadow, giving her an exotic look, but her most drawing features were her eyes. They were red and her pupils had two sections, a lighter red outer ring with a darker red inner ring separated by a black ripple. Those eyes and her natural affinity for illusions had often made many speculate that Kurenai's family was related to the Uchiha clan in some way. She was dressed in a red mesh armor blouse with only the right sleeve visible, while the left appeared to be sleeveless. Over her blouse she was wrapped in a very broad material, which resembled bandages, with a pattern on it similar to those of rose thorns. Her hands and upper thighs are also wrapped in bandages and she wore her Konoha forehead protector across her forehead and regular shinobi sandals. In other words Kurenai was, as Anko once so delicately put it, a 'really hot piece of ass.'

A lot of people tended to question the somewhat odd friendship between the two, especially considering their radically different personalities. Where Anko was blunt and sarcastic at best, Kurenai was always polite and cordial. Where Anko was wild and untamed, Kurenai was cool and in control. Where Anko was described as a 'wild child' type, many would call Kurenai the 'big sister' type. Anko liked to think of it as one of those cases where opposites just seemed to attract each other.

Standing behind her was another person, this one a man by the name of Asuma Sarutobi. Asuma was a massive mountain of a man, standing at nearly 6'3" in height and heavily muscled. He had light brown eyes and dark black hair that was spiked back and formed a pair of thick sideburns and a goatee that framed his faces, giving him a slightly apish appearance which was augmented by his strong features and thick nose. Despite the rather rough appearance of his face, the man usually looked quite relaxed or jovial. His mouth was currently open in a toothy smirk while he absently smoked on a cigarette. He was dressed in a standard jounin uniform with the sleeves rolled back halfway up his forearms and he wore his hitai-ate wrapped around his forehead. He also had a red sash with the kanji for 'Fire' stamped on it, a thin black metal bracelet on both of his wrists, and bandages wrapped about halfway up his upper arms.

Anko suppressed a grin as she noticed the two had probably entered together. That had been happening a lot lately. It certainly warranted some investigation for either blackmail or teasing materials.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Anko looked up at her long-time friend. "I'm as much here as I ever am Nai-chan." responded the snake mistress, using her favorite nickname for her old friend. "Just thinking about my student and trying to plan out some training ideas."

Kurenai nodded as she took a seat, with Asuma following after. "I can understand that. I'm already trying to figure out ways to help my own students outside their clan arts, but it's not as easy as most would think."

"You're lucky Anko." stated Asuma as he settled back into his chair absently puffing on his cigarette. "You've only got to deal with one of them. Kurenai, Kakashi, and I have to put up with three punks each."

"Now, now Asuma, it's not that bad." stated Kakashi as he appeared behind Asuma before taking the fourth seat, "Sorry I'm late, a black cat crossed my path on the way here so I had to find a four-leaf clover and arm-wrestle a leprechaun for it."

Kakashi Hatake was a very unassuming individual. Standing at just above 5'11" with a thin and lanky appearance that always made Anko think of a scarecrow and a constantly bored and lazy expression, it was hard to believe that he was one of the most powerful and skilled shinobi in Konoha. The only parts of his face that could be seen was a mass of tall, spikey, silver gray hair on top of his head and a single black eye, the rest of his face concealed by a black face-mask and his slanted hitai-ate. Like Asuma he was dressed in a standard jounin uniform with his hitai-ate across his forehead at an angle, covering his other eye from view, and a pair of iron-plated, fingerless gloves on his hands. The fact that his face was, as usual, half-buried in between the pages of his little orange book, only added to the man's nondescript appearance.

Kurenai was staring at the man in shock. "That's not it Kakashi, in fact you're…right on time." she whispered those last three words like they were a sign of the apocalypse, which, considering Kakashi's tendency to be late for everything outside of emergencies and missions by at least 2 hours, it could very well be.

Kakashi's single visible eye widened slightly at that before it narrowed as he directed his gaze at Anko. "Anko." stated the jounin lowly.

Anko merely snickered. "That would be my fault Nai-chan, I told Kakashi that we were going to meet here…three hours ago." stated the newly promoted jounin with a smug grin.

Kurenai actually giggled at that while Asuma chuckled and Kakashi growled; he didn't like people messing with his lateness mojo. Anko merely flashed the silver-haired jounin a victory sign.

Letting out a defeated sigh and deciding to just move on before Anko did something else to embarrass him, Kakashi decided to get the ball rolling. "So how do your teams look?" he asked conversationally.

"I think I have the makings of a fine tracking and recovery team." stated Kurenai proudly as she sipped her own drink. "Kiba is a bit head-strong and overeager to prove himself as an 'alpha,' but otherwise he's a very talented young shinobi, skilled in both his clan's ninjutsu and their taijutsu style, with an excellent sense of loyalty. I think my biggest problem will be getting him to start thinking before he leaps into things. Shino's proving to be a standard Aburame, logical, calculating and a bit detached. He's already very good with his clan's ninjutsu and shows more than a fair bit of skill with Taijutsu, even if he only knows the Academy Basic style right now, and has a very keen intellect. Hopefully I'll be able to get him to open up and bond with his teammates with enough time. Hinata's a bit of a double-edged sword. The poor girl's actually quite talented with her taijutsu and even knows some basic medical techniques, but her lack of self-confidence and low self-esteem keeps her from really developing any of it further. I'm really going to have to work to get her out of her shell."

"Sounds like you've got quite an interesting little troupe don't you Nai-chan." teased Anko with a grin.

"Well what about you Anko? How's your 'cute, little apprentice' looking?" responded Kurenai, mocking her fellow kunoichi's description of the blonde when she first found out she was taking an apprentice.

Kakashi actually looked up from his precious Icha Icha at this. While disappointed that he hadn't gotten his sensei's legacy on his team, the older jounin was still very concerned and more than a little curious about the blonde's progress and abilities.

"Gaki's looking pretty good so far. I actually tested him yesterday and spent most of today testing his skills. Kid's quite the talented little fucker, though he's a bit overspecialized for my tastes, but I'll be able to fix that easy enough."

"Anko, everyone short of the Hokage is too overspecialized for your tastes, including the three of us." stated Kakashi blandly.

"Well its true." pouted out Anko immaturely, crossing her arms over her chest. "Nai-chan's too focused on her genjutsu, Asuma's lacking a lot of diversity outside close-range, and you, despite being the 'Master of a Thousand Jutsu,' don't have nearly enough stamina for anything more than a short-term skirmish, especially if you use that eye of yours." chastised Anko. "And it's not like I'm claiming I'm perfect either, I've still got a lot of faults I need to cover before I'm anywhere near where I want to be."

The other jounin simply rolled their eyes. Anko had always had a keen eye for spotting weakness, and she was always more than willing to point them out. This wasn't out of a sense of arrogance or a means to insult them, more of a way to offer help to cover their weaknesses and improve. It was also wickedly effective when she entered combat and, combined with her own diverse array of skills, made her a deadly opponent.

"Anyway, back to your student." stated Kakashi, hoping to steer the conversation back on topic before Anko fell into her 'I must get stronger to kill that snake-kissing son of a pedophilatic bitch' rant.

That oddly enough reminded him of his own student's desire for vengeance in a twisted sort of way.

"Oh right. Anyway, the kid's already a decent tool-user and has quite the bit of talent when it comes to ninjutsu. With a bit of work I'd say I can get him to a decent all-around level within a few months. That's if I can figure out a way around a single problem I'm trying to figure out."

"What about missions?" asked Asuma curiously. "It's probably going to take a bit longer for just the two of you to complete D-ranks, and I don't even know how you're going to take on a C-rank with just the two of you."

"Lucky for me, my gaki's talent for ninjutsu is already proving itself useful for solving the D-rank problems. The kid managed to learn the **Kage Bunshin no Jutsu** (Shadow Clone Technique) from me in just a few hours." That got her some raised brows from her fellow jounin-senseis. The Kage Bunshin was a B-ranked ninjutsu. For a fresh genin to learn a B-rank, even a relatively simple, though exhausting, one like the Kage Bunshin in just a few hours showed a great deal of talent. "I figure using them we can finish most D-ranks pretty quickly, as long as we avoid the physically strenuous ones. I'm actually planning on doing one or maybe two a day for the first few months and focus on training the gaki up." The others nodded their heads at that; it seemed like a fairly solid plan. "As for C-ranks, Hokage-sama said it was more than likely that'll we'll be pairing up with other genin cells for those until either the gaki makes Chūnin or I manage to fill the roster." Taking another sip of sake she turned her attention to Kakashi. "So what about you Scarecrow, how are your gakis looking?"

Kakashi's lone visible eye twitched at the nickname before he answered. "Well, they're impressive to say the least, well as far as skills go anyway. Sadly their personalities leave a lot to be desired." stated the one-eyed jounin tiredly. "Sasuke is an exceptionally skilled young shinobi, talented in both taijutsu and already has enough reserves to pull off an advanced C-ranked Katon ninjutsu." Most of the jounin nodded their heads, suitably impressed. "Sadly the kid's got a lot of personality issues. He's antisocial and single-minded is his pursuit of vengeance and getting stronger. During the test he completely dismissed the idea of working with his teammates believing that they'd simply 'hold him back.' Hopefully with time I can get him to see the value of working with others in order to get stronger. Sai is, likewise, extremely talented. He uses a unique type of ninjutsu based on ink-drawings and seems to have a fair bit of skill in wielding his tantō. Unfortunately the boy acts like he has no experience interacting with others. He completely lacks any forms of social skills and seems to have developed a habit of giving others…_odd_ nicknames."

"Odd how?" questioned a curious Kurenai.

"He's taken to calling Sasuke 'Dickless' and alternates between calling Sakura 'Ugly' and 'Banshee.' He also referred to me as either 'Masked Pervert' or simply 'Pervert.'" answered Kakashi in a near monotone, which caused Anko to nearly topple out of her chair laughing.

"Oh I like this kid already. If you want I'll take him off your hands." stated a very amused Anko.

Kakashi promptly ignored her and continued his assessment. "Finally, while Sakura's record for mental ability and theoretical knowledge speaks for itself, she seems to lack any extraordinary practical abilities at this time, knowing nothing other than the Academy's basics. Then again, given her ancestry and familial lines that's not very surprising." Sakura came from a purely civilian family, being the first of her line to graduate from the Academy. "She's also rather…_obsessed_ with Sasuke."

"You mean she's a fangirl." stated a clearly annoyed Anko.

"Sadly yes." agreed Kakashi. "Hopefully I'll be able to wean her away from that, but maybe her constant attention will help pull Sasuke out of his own obsessions." offered Kakashi with a shrug, before he turned his attention to Asuma. "So you're last Asuma, how's your team look?"

"Pretty good, though I've got a bit of a problem." answered Asuma as he took a puff of his cigarette. "Since all three of them will be getting a lot of their training from their families I thought I wouldn't have a lot to do myself. I was mostly planning on helping Shikamaru develop his strategy and planning skills, offering Chōji some advice and pointers on how to improve his taijutsu, and helping Ino improve her intelligence gathering abilities while further developing their teamwork. However, ever since the graduation exam Ino's become pretty insistent on improving herself in nearly every way imaginable. From what her father told me she's started training in her clan's arts with a whole new level of determination, and she's already asked me for extra combat training to help her catch up." Asuma blew out a long stream of smoke as he stared up at the ceiling. "Only problem is most of my skills aren't suited for a kunoichi, particularly one like Ino. Most of my techniques and style are based either around either my element and/or my strength, neither of which Ino shares."

An idea suddenly sprang to life inside Anko's crazy little mind, particularly when she remembered that Asuma was probably _the_ strongest Wind-user in Konoha. "Well maybe I can help the little girl out then? I'm sure my big bag of tricks has a few things that could get your cute little gaki up to where she wants to be." offered the snake mistress with a wide, predatory grin.

Asuma raised an eyebrow at that. "And what exactly to do you get out of this Anko, I'd thought you'd be more focused on your own student's training?" asked Asuma. The bearded jounin knew Anko well enough to know she wasn't the type to offer something like this for nothing.

"Funny you should ask." answered Anko with that same predatory grin. "You see I tested my cute little gaki's affinities today and it turns out the kid's got a Wind affinity just like you. Now I know a thing or two about Fūton jutsu and the like, but I'm no wind master. You on the other hand…" Anko simply trailed off. The group knew Asuma's skills when it came to Wind manipulation quite well. "So my deal's pretty simple, you teach my gaki and I'll teach yours." offered the snake mistress.

Asuma rubbed his beard thoughtfully at the offer. It was a pretty good deal. He was sure Anko knew more than enough techniques that would suit Ino and would definitely help the younger kunoichi develop an effective fighting style. Asuma had actually been thinking about passing on his own skills anyway, but none of his students showed the proper affinities or personalities. He'd actually hoped to pass down his Fūton techniques to his own children, but even then it wasn't a sure thing they'd inherit his affinity. Not to mention that, with the dangers of a shinobi life, he might not live long enough to have children let alone teach them. This way he'd get his student an excellent tutor, and despite her _quirks_ Anko was one of the best fighters among the current ranks of kunoichi, and be able to pass on his legacy to the next generation. It was a win-win situation for him.

Asuma finally nodded his head and extended his hand across the table to Anko. "You've got yourself a deal Anko."

"Great." chirped Anko as she shook the other jounin's hand. "So when should I bring the gaki over for his first lesson and pick up my new student." asked the purple-haired kunoichi as she sat back down.

"Bring the kid over to training ground 15 tomorrow at about 2, my team should be about finished then and you can pick up Ino for your first lesson then as well." stated the smoking jounin.

As the two jounin finished making their deal, the conversation resumed as the group of newly-minted senseis began discussing their plans to teach their students.

_**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**_

_(The Next Day, just outside the Forest of Death)_

Anko was whistling a happy little tune to herself as she waited for her gaki to arrive at their training ground to begin their first official day of training, and the snake mistress head plenty of plans for it.

"Hey Sensei." called out the blonde fortune-teller as he leapt into the area from the surrounding woods.

"Yoh Gaki." responded Anko as she hoped off tree limb she'd been reclining on and met her student near the gate and the forest's edge.

Naruto sighed. "Sensei, would you _please_ stop calling me that. I don't think I am by any means a 'spoiled brat.'" (**AN**: Gaki typically means 'spoiled brat,' but is often used as an affectionate nickname for younger individuals under a teacher's or similar relationships.)

Anko quirked her head in thought as she approached, "Really?" she asked before a scary smile crossed her lips. "Then maybe I should spoil you a bit myself." she then proceeded to wrap an arm around a surprised Naruto's head before burying him face-first into the bountiful valley of her cleavage. After holding him there for several minutes Anko released the blonde who toppled back, sputtering and looking redder than a tomato from more than the lack of oxygen.

"You…I…Ana…Sata….I mean…Dah." sputtered the blonde as he tried to regain some semblance of his lost composure.

"Any other complaints _Gaki_?" asked Anko, purring out the title.

Naruto blushed again before letting out a sigh and muttering "No Anko-sensei."

"Good boy." stated Anko, patting the blonde on the head before turning around and beginning to walk deeper into the forest. "Now come along we've got a full schedule on our hands for today so there's no time to waste."

Naruto just sighed again as he shook his head before following his sensei into the forest. _'At least my life's not going to be boring.'_ though the blonde off-handedly as he followed his rather…unique sensei.

"So what's on this 'rather full' schedule of ours sensei?" asked the blonde as he caught up.

Anko tapped her chin in thought. "Well I've got a new toy to introduce you to this morning and we'll be working with it for the rest of the morning, then about noon I was thinking we'd take a mission, followed by lunch and then a meeting with Team 10 at two that'll probably last the rest of the day."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Why are we meeting up with Ino-chan's team?"

That statement caused Anko to raise an eyebrow before smirking. "Ino-chan?" she questioned curiously. "Does my little gaki have a thing for the Yamanaka heiress?"

Naruto instantly regretted opening his big mouth. "It's nothing like that sensei. Ino-chan, Shikamaru, and Chōji are all just friends of mine." responded the blonde, blushing slightly as he recalled the kiss Ino had given him on the day of the graduation test.

Anko continued to smirk. "Then why are you blushing so much Na-ru-to-kun." teased the older kunoichi.

Naruto decided it was best not to respond to that and supply his teasing sensei with any more ammunition.

Anko pouted when the gaki refused to respond before deciding to answer his earlier question. "Anywho, your little girlfriend's sensei, one Asuma Sarutobi, is probably the best Wind user in Konoha. He and I have reached a little agreement. He's going to be teaching you how to properly utilize that Wind affinity of yours while I give Ino-chan some kunoichi lessons."

Deciding to change the subject before his sensei decided to tease him any more Naruto asked a question. "So what are these new 'toys' that you wanted to introduce me to?" Given what he'd seen from his sensei so far, 'toys' could be anything from a new weapon to an actual, living being.

Anko's face suddenly split into a smirk as she reached into her trench coat and drew out a small parcel. "Catch." she ordered lobbing it at the blonde.

Naruto's hand rose in an instant, snagging the small object in mid-flight. Taking a closer look, the blonde discovered it was a small bag of simple brown leather, tied off at the top with some cord. Pulling off the cord the blonde opened the bag and looked inside to find ten small rings. The rings themselves were nondescript and made out of pure steel. The only oddity the blonde could note was a small bump on the bottom of each ring.

"Well what are you waiting for gaki? Try them on." stated an impatient Anko as she placed her hands on her hips.

Doing as his sensei told, the blonde quickly put a ring onto each of his fingers, noting that each of the rings seemed to be designed for a particular digit. After placing all ten on their respective fingers the blonde held up his hands for a closer inspection. "So what do they do?" asked the blonde curiously as he studied the small metal bands.

"You noticed the small bumps on the bottom of each ring?" questioned Anko, getting a nod from Naruto. "Well channel a little chakra into a ring and grab onto it and pull." instructed the purple-haired jounin.

Naruto did as instructed channeling chakra into the ring on his right index finger while grabbing onto the small bulge at the bottom. He was surprised when the bulge, which was smaller than a grain of rice, easily came off, detaching from the rest of the ring. The blonde noticed that there was some slight resistance as he continued to pull the bulge away and held the distance between the two up to his face for closer inspection. When it was right in front of his face a slight glimmer of reflected light alerted the blonde to what was connecting the two. "Wire?" questioned the blonde thoughtfully.

"Not just any wire gaki, ninja _Senretsu_ (Wire Strings). These little babies are pieces of specially designed steel wire, designed for strength and durability while being thin enough to be practically invisible to the human eye and containing a unique elasticity for adaptability." stated Anko smugly.

Naruto studied the wire for another moment before allowing it to be rewound inside the ring. "So what are they good for?" questioned the blonde, before his limbs suddenly snapped out, forcing him into a spread-eagle position.

"Oh quite a few things." smirked Anko as she twisted her wrist slightly, causing the wires she bound the blonde's limbs in that were emanating from her sleeve to be illuminated in a brief flicker of light. "Once they learn how, a trained shinobi can manipulate them using pure chakra alone, allowing the user to manipulate anything they attach them to like a puppet on a string." she demonstrated by forcing her student to do a little puppet dance.

"I get it sensei, would you mind letting me go?" requested the blonde as his body was being jerked around by his sensei's 'demonstration.'

"But I'm having so much fun." stated a grinning Anko as she made her 'gaki-puppet' do a little ballet.

"Sensei." growled out the blonde, no longer amused.

"Fine spoilsport." pouted Anko as she sent out a small pulse of chakra through her wires, causing them to release from the blonde and return to her sleeve. "Anyway, they can be used for anything from rappelling and setting traps, to manipulating thrown weapons, and, of course, binding and restricting the movements of an opponent. They are even used in combination with several attack ninjutsu. Like so." she stated as she once again shot out several wires from her sleeves, this time using them to bind a nearby bush, before going through a rapid set of handsigns.

"**Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu**! (Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique)" shouted Anko, breathing flames across her wires, which instantly ignited and in a flash, the flaming wires had engulfed the bush in a massive inferno, burning it to ashes.

"Whoa." breathed an impressed Naruto. He remembered Anko using that technique on him the other day during the test, but it was easier to be impressed with it when you weren't actually the target.

Anko just smirked. "As you can see they also make great conductors for ranged jutsu. The _senretsu_ are one of the most basic, but highly versatile, tools in a ninja's arsenal. Most shinobi only briefly touch on their applications, viewing them as too simple for any further scrutiny and lose interest after they learn to wield flashier weapons and techniques. This is _extremely_ stupid because it is due to their simplistic nature that they are such a versatile and useful weapon." explained the snake charmer in what she was coming to view as her 'instructor voice.'

"So where do we start Anko-sensei?" asked a now eager Naruto.

"With the basics gaki, you always start with basics and work yourself up." answered Anko as the two began their training.

_**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**_

_(Several hours later)_

"Anko-sensei! Why are we doing these _chores_ again?" questioned a rather annoyed Naruto as he was pulled around by a set of large dogs the duo was supposed to be walking for their current D-rank.

They'd finished up morning training a bit over an hour ago and had gone to the Hokage's Tower for their first mission, where Naruto was promptly introduced to the wonders of D-rank missions. The blonde had not been pleased to find that their first official acts as shinobi of Konoha involved doing other people's chores.

The kid absolutely refused to call them missions, something that Anko silently agreed with.

"I told you before gaki, because they're a requirement for all fresh genin to get some experience working together as a team before they start taking real missions. You have to have a certain number of these before you're allowed to take a C-rank or higher so its best that we get them out of the way as quickly as possible, not to mentions they're a pretty easy way to make a few bucks." answered Anko as she led her own set of canines around, who were much more orderly than Naruto's. Probably because every time one would get out of line she'd blast it with a glare full of condensed _KI_ (Killing Intent).

Naruto made a quick, mental note to make sure she taught him how to do that before they took this mission again.

"But it's just the two of us, and I think we already know how to work together." argued the blonde.

Anko just shrugged. "Maybe so kid, but it's still standard procedure so we gotta' put up with these annoyances for now." The newly promoted jounin wasn't entirely thrilled with having to put up with these chores again, thinking she'd never have to bother with them again after she'd been promoted out of Genin-level. Sadly it was the price she had to pay for the _joys_ of being a sensei.

Maybe she should have thought this through before taking the job.

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_(2:00, Training Ground 15)_

Ino Yamanaka did not enjoy being kept waiting. It was not that the young blonde heiress lacked the patience necessary to wait; she merely found it, as her teammate would put it, 'troublesome.'

Her sensei, the chain-smoking Asuma Sarutobi, had dismissed her two teammates a short time ago calling an early end to the day's training but had asked her to stick around. She was currently standing in front of the man tapping her foot impatiently on the ground and waiting for an explanation.

The jounin himself was taking his time enjoying a nice long drawl on his cigarette and enjoying the look of annoyance on his female student's face. It was one of the few real perks of being a sensei. Helping mold the minds and skills of the next generation of shinobi was all well and good, but having full and unlimited access to tease and torment the kids was just plain priceless in the young Sarutobi's opinion. Finally deciding to speak when the young kunoichi began cracking her knuckles threatingly in front of him he started off with a question. "So Ino, you still interested in getting some more in-depth combat training?"

That caught Ino off her guard. When she'd originally asked for the extra combat training her sensei had been pretty disappointed when he'd explained that he didn't have anything like that he could really teach her. That had greatly saddened and disappointed the young Yamanaka, since she had really wanted to make up for her previous mistakes when it came to training, particularly in the combat department. Now her sensei seemed to be offering a way to fix that? "Of course I am sensei, but I thought you said you didn't have anything that you could teach me?" she asked skeptically. Either he had lied to her or he'd found something, either way she wanted an answer.

"I did and there isn't. However, a colleague of mine came to me with an interesting proposition. Seems she's got a kid with the same affinity as I do: Wind. Since wind-users are pretty rare in Konoha she wanted me to help teach the kid how to use it effectively. In exchange she's agreed to give you some lessons in kunoichi combat." stated Asuma proudly. "I should mention that my colleague happens to be one of the best fighters in our current ranks, kunoichi or shinobi." he added as an afterthought to further entice his student.

"That's great Asuma-sensei!" cheered the now clearly excited kunoichi. "So who is she and when am I going to meet her?"

"That would be me." stated a new voice as a figure suddenly exited the nearby tree-line and appeared across from the two of them.

Ino instantly recognized the woman as Naruto's sensei from team appointments the other day. A full-blown smile crossed her face as Naruto appeared shortly afterwards, following his sensei no doubt. She instantly waved her hand at him in greeting. "Hey Naruto-kun!" she called out in greeting.

Naruto grinned and returned the wave. "Good to see you Ino-chan." he greeted, before a blush crossed his cheeks remembering the kiss from their meeting before the exams.

Ino blushed as well, also recalling that little incident. Truth be told, she wasn't sure exactly why she'd done it, but she didn't dislike it. Now that her, admittedly one-sided, relationship with the Uchiha was over, Ino had set her sights elsewhere for possible boyfriends. Just because she was now a serious kunoichi, didn't mean she didn't want some romance in her life, and, as far as prospective boyfriends were concerned, her kind-hearted fellow blonde was nowhere near the worst possibility.

Anko and Asuma merely looked between the two now blushing teens, both smiling inwardly at the amount of teasing material their students were now supplying them with. It was indeed a good day to be a sensei. "Alright you two, not to interrupt this heartwarming little reunion but we've got training to do." stated Anko after several moments of embarrassed silence. "Asuma if you wouldn't mind taking my gaki, I'll start work with yours."

Asuma merely nodded and started walking away into the woods motioning for Naruto to follow him, leaving the two kunoichi alone in the training field. As soon as both men were gone Anko looked at Ino for a few moments. "So you're Inoichi's daughter?" she asked as she began circling Ino, studying the girl like a person inspecting a race horse before placing a bet. Ino was half-ready for her to pull back her lips in order to get a good look at her teeth.

"Uh, yeah. How do you know my daddy?" asked the younger kunoichi nervously, starting to feel a little uncomfortable with the way the older woman was examining her like a piece of meat.

"We've worked together a couple of times in the I&T department." answered Anko flatly as she continued her examination. "Man's quite good at what he does, but I personally think all that mind-reading stuff takes all the fun out of interrogation. I much prefer the tried and true, bloody and painful methods." added the older kunoichi as a faint grin flowed onto her lips, further unsettling the already worried kunoichi and making her wonder what her sensei had signed her up for. After several more minutes of study Anko stood up and made her announcement. "Alright girly, first up we're putting you on a diet."

Ino suddenly glared at the announcement. "Are you calling me fat?" snarled the younger blonde, murder visible in her eyes.

Anko simply waved off the minimal KI the younger kunoichi was now releasing. "Exact opposite actually." she stated offhandedly, causing the younger girl to cock her head in confusion. "You're way to scrawny." explained Anko as she rolled up the sleeve of her trench coat. "Women build up muscles differently than men. While a lot of guys bulk up when they expand their muscle-mass most women don't have the body chemistry for it without a butt-load of steroids. Instead kunoichi need to develop sleek, more streamlined muscles." Anko then flexed her arm, showing off the developed muscles along her arm. "While less overtly powerful than a guy's, a woman's muscles are more designed for speed than power and allow us to move faster and with more agility than a similarly trained male. Currently your body lacks the proteins to build these muscles, hence a diet to give it the nutrients it requires."

Ino nodded her head, now that she knew the older kunoichi wasn't insulting her weight she could accept the reasoning.

Anko continued. "Now I can't start teaching you any taijutsu until we've balanced out your diet so your muscles will develop properly. So we'll start by working on your ninjutsu and genjutsu arsenal. Tell me do you know any jutsu outside the Academy Basics?"

"Yeah, I know my family's **Shintenshin no Jutsu** (Mind Body Switch Technique)," answered Ino proudly, "and daddy says that if I keep practicing like I have been recently he'll be able to teach me a new one in another month or so."

Anko shrugged her shoulders, scratching her chin slightly. "Well that's better than most fresh kunoichi. So did Asuma test your elements yet?"

Ino nodded. "Yeah, after I asked for some extra combat training. He wanted to test and see if I had a wind or fire affinity like him. Turns out I'm a Lightning affinity."

"Well that's lucky, I happen to have trained in _Raiton_ (Lightning Release) myself, so I can definitely teach you a few of those. But first let's work on something a little close to the ground. I take it you're pretty proud of your hair?" she asked looking pointedly at Ino's ponytail, which currently stopped just short of touching her rear.

"Well yeah, I love my hair." stated Ino thoughtfully.

"Most kunoichi keep their hair short, gives opponents one less place to grab them buy. Those that don't usually have a jutsu or two up their sleeve to put their hair to a use for them, and it just so happens I have a few of those jutsu in my personal arsenal, despite my preference in hairstyles." explained Anko.

"Neat." stated a now grinning Ino. Techniques to turn her beautiful hair into an effective weapon? Oh Ino was going to like working with this woman. Maybe she could also get some fashion advice? Anko definitely had a style all her own, and she couldn't help but giggle at the reactions her teammates would have if she started copying it.

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**END CHAPTER 10**

**We'll start seeing Naruto's training under Asuma next chapter and probably start the Wave Arc as well, until then…**

**READ AND REVIEW**


	11. Settling In and Setting Out

**Naruto: A Seer's Fable**

**REVIEW RESPONSE:**

**mavs7073** – I agree that rapid power-ups are pretty annoying, but there are times when they apply. My preference is on small time-skips. While reading about the training can be interesting, it also gets really old fast so I try to briefly describe the training before time-skipping through the majority of it, maybe stopping for unique moments of insight.

**Caliko** – Yes, I'm fine now that its healed up, still a little stiff, but the doc says that'll fade in a month or so.

**ferduran** – Naruto and Hinata will start having their moments during the Chūnin Exam, with maybe a moment or two before that.

**YoukoTaichou** – Thanks for the jutsu, and I can definitely see Naruto using some of them in the future.

**Epic-Kx** – I don't really have a focus for this harem, but that could change in time, same with the relationships within the harem.

**the master mooma** – Yes, I'm familiar with the story The Gamble, it was an interesting read. As for the wires, I just wanted to introduce them, but taijutsu training will come in time.

**The Fifth Rider of Armageddon** – I am humbled by your praise and glad one of my favorite authors enjoys my own work. I hope to live up to your high expectations.

**Aryk von Straln** – Interesting guesses.

_To everyone else that reviewed I thank you for your time and support._

"Human Speech"

'_Human Thought'_

**"Demon/Summons Speech"**

**'_Demon/Summons Thought'_**

**Jutsu **or _Card_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Fable, or anything other than my own original ideas for this story**

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**Chapter 11: Settling In and Setting Out**

_(Same time, With Naruto and Asuma)_

"Are you sure it's alright leaving those two alone?" asked Naruto as he and Asuma walked deeper into the woods. "Anko-sensei tends to be a bit…eccentric." Granted Naruto had only known the woman for three days now, but that was more than enough to realize leaving Anko alone with an impressionable girl like Ino was not a good idea.

Then again he and Ino were the same age and he spent a great deal of time alone with Anko-sensei...that thought did not bring him much comfort though.

And why did he suddenly feel like someone just walked over his grave?

Asuma shrugged. "I wouldn't worry about it too much kid." he stated, taking a puff from his cigarette. "While Anko definitely has her eccentricies, she's still a professional. She won't do anything to hurt Ino…well nothing to hurt her _too_ badly." he added after a moment's thought.

"Somehow, that does not ease my worries." muttered the blonde under his breath.

Asuma simply shrugged before holding up his hand, calling a stop to their march as they arrived in a small clearing. "Alright kid," stated the larger man, "this should be a good enough place to start your training. Did Anko tell you what I was going to be teaching you?"

Naruto gave the man a look, "She said that you were going to teach me how to use my Wind affinity." he answered, shrugging his shoulders.

"Okay, so first I want you to tell me everything you know about the Wind element, so I know where to start from." stated the Sarutobi

"Well I don't know much." admitted the blonde. "Just what Anko told me the other day. Wind is supposed to be one of the rarest naturally occurring elements and it's strong against Lightning but weak against Fire."

Asuma nodded his head. "Looks like we're going to start from the top. Not that surprising since elemental alignment really isn't covered that much in the Academy." stated the Sarutobi as he rolled his shoulders. "First off, you're right that Wind is the rarest of the five natural elements, with only Suna supporting a significant population of natural Wind elements. I think that, counting both you and me, there are less than a dozen of us in Konoha that can use Wind naturally and, since it's also the most difficult element to learn, there's only a few who have learned it."

"What do you mean learning it? And why would Wind be difficult?" asked the blonde curiously.

Asuma took another puff from his cigarette, burning it to the filter, before flicking it off to the side and reaching to his pocket to grab another as he explained. "Well most people are born with only a single natural element, with certain clans and individuals being the exception. This is fine for most Genin and Chūnin but when a shinobi is reaching for Jounin rank they usually go through special training to gain an additional element. Some ninjutsu experts like Anko and another Jounin I know by the name of Kakashi go as far as mastering a third element. I myself, in addition to my natural Wind element, have mastered the Fire element as well." he demonstrated by causing a small flame to appear on his finger which he used to light his new cigarette. The large jounin took another refreshing puff from his cancer stick before continuing. "As for why Wind is difficult to learn is because, by its very nature, wind is an element of contrasts."

"Contrasts?" questioned the blonde, giving the man an odd look.

Asuma nodded before explaining. "Wind is an element that constantly combines opposite or contrasting ideals. It is overwhelming power mixed with absolute precision. Unstoppable offense mixed with fierce defense. Complete subtlety mixed with obvious, destructive power. This contrasting nature makes it difficult for those without a natural affinity to learn how to fully utilize the Wind element. You follow me so far kid?"

"I think so." stated the blonde absently rubbing his chin. "So what exactly does wind chakra do?"

"That depends entirely on what you want to do with it." stated Asuma evenly. "Each of the five elements has its own strength and weaknesses. Fire it the most destructive element, capable of dealing a lot of damage and can spread it over broad areas, but it doesn't lend itself well to defensive techniques and is dangerous to the user if used at close-range. Lightning is also a powerful, destructive element that, if applied properly, can paralyze those who are touched by it or pierce nearly any defense. It is capable at being used at nearly any range, from close-range fighting to long-range sniping, but like Fire it doesn't lend itself well to defensive techniques and is difficult to control completely. Earth is a strong element, but more balanced than Fire and Lightning. While it is less overtly powerful than either of those two, it has the greatest defensive strength among the five elements, but it requires existing earth to utilize to its fullest meaning it becomes limited under certain circumstances like when a shinobi is surrounded by water. Water is similar to Earth, less overtly powerful but capable of being used much more effectively for defense. While, like Earth, it requires a nearby source to be used to its full effectiveness it is probably the most versatile element in existence." explained Asuma.

"And Wind?" asked a now very curious Naruto.

Asuma smirked. "Wind is probably the strongest element for close and mid-range combat, but loses a lot of its power if used from a greater distance. Like Water and Earth, Wind relies on manipulating existing air movements, but unlike them it is relatively easy to generate wind movements. Hell, as long as a person breathes, air will move and give birth to wind. Most Wind techniques manipulate that air movement, using it to generate cutting blades, crushing pressure, or any other effect. While Wind is by its nature an offensive element, it can be used defensively as well, redirecting wind currents and using them to redirect attacks. Wind is also among the fastest of the five elements, competing only with Lighting in matches of pure speed. I don't think I'm bragging to much when I say Wind is definitely one of the strongest of the five elements, if not the strongest." Asuma finished pridefully.

Naruto was now sporting a very excited, face-splitting grin. "So how do we start learning how to use Wind?" asked a now very excited blonde.

Asuma grinned; he'd caught the kid hook, line, and sinker. "Alright we'll start with two simple Wind techniques. One is an exercise to help develop your control over your of the Wind affinity. The other is a practical technique that'll help you utilize it in a fight." stated the bearded ninja grabbing a leaf from a nearby tree. "The first and most basic exercise for learning how to utilize a Wind nature affinity is called Leaf Cutting. To do it you take a leaf and simply channel your element into it, resulting…" the large man held up the leaf before channeling his chakra into it. The leaf seemed to glow for an instant and Naruto could feel the chakra flow around it suddenly shift before the leaf was shredded, sliced into dozens of tiny little pieces. "…in a cutting force." stated the man as he handed Naruto another leaf. "You should probably start by creating a single cut in the leaf, what I just did requires a mastery of the Wind element, something that took me over a decade to achieve."

Naruto nodded his head, taking the leaf and placing it in the center of one hand before covering it with the other and channeling a great deal of his chakra into it, focusing on the feel of his element. When the blonde opened his hands, he noticed both a small cut on the edge of the leaf and a small burn hole near the bottom.

Asuma looked at the result and gave a small whistle. "So you're a natural dual element huh? Fire and Wind, guess we're more alike than I thought huh kid?" he asked with a smirk.

"Actually I have three." stated the blonde as he rubbed the back of his head, blushing slightly. "My bloodline gives me a subelement called Ijiton."

"Will Release?" responded Asuma with a raised eyebrow as he absently scratched his beard. "Never heard of that one. Anyway with more than one natural element you have to concentrate on shaping the element you're currently working with. For Fire that means focusing on increasing the temperature of your chakra, but Wind's a bit more complicated. The best way is to imagine your chakra being split into two equal forces and then grind them together, as if you were using them to sharpen a blade. The key is to keep the flow steady and sharp."

"Separate, grind, sharpen." repeated the blonde as he picked up another leaf and closed his eyes before repeating the process. This time when he revealed the leaf again it had a much larger cut, easily twice the size of the previous one, and no burn marks.

"Impressive." stated a pleased Asuma. "It usually takes a lot longer to make any progress on the exercise."

"Visualization is a big part of my seer training with Theresa-bāchan." responded the blonde. "In order to properly utilize my cards, I not only have to visualize the flow of my chakra into them, but the way their effects will work. It's even more important when creating new cards; you have to form the power of the card in your mind before using your chakra to imprint it onto the card."

Asuma didn't have a clue what the kid was talking about but just shrugged his shoulders. He'd have to ask Anko about this seer and card stuff later. "Alright now the next part is the practical application." stated the bearded jounin as he drew out one of his trench knives. "For this you take what you learn from the Leaf Cutting exercise and apply it in real combat conditions. Channel you wind chakra into your weapon and…" with a flick of his wrist Asuma sent the now glowing blade flying toward a tree. The kunai didn't even slow down, cutting through the trunk and lodging deeply into a rock behind it. "…wallah. There's a reason that Wind has earned the nickname The Cutting Element."

"Whoa." breathed out the blonde. The blonde eagerly took out a kunai of his own, closed his eyes, and channeled his chakra into it, using the same trick as he had with the leaf, before letting it fly. The kunai bit deeply into the wood while several inches of bark surrounding the blade was ripped off by the force of the impact.

"Not bad for a first try." stated Asuma as he studied the impact. "There's two ways to measure your progress with this technique. The first is the depth your kunai goes into, that shows the strength of the wind you used. The deeper the hit, the stronger the wind. The other is the amount of damage you do to the surrounding bark, which shows how much control you have over it. The wider the damage the less control you have. Follow me so far kid?"

"Hai." agreed the blonde.

"Good, now it's best to alternate between the two types of training. Start with the Leaf Cutting for a half-hour then move on to Kunai Sharpening for another half-hour and repeat. I'll be here keeping watch. You have any problems or questions let me know." instructed the jounin as he took a seat leaning against one of the nearby trees.

"Got it Asuma-sensei." agreed the blonde as he began practicing.

Asuma leaned back and watched his newest student work. _'I'll admit it. The kid's got quite a bit of talent. It was definitely a good idea to agree with Anko's little deal. I not only get a better trained kunoichi for my squad, but I can pass on my abilities to help the next generation grow.'_

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_(2 Months Later)_

It is funny how time seems to slip away. It had been just over two months since the Genin teams were selected and Naruto was placed under Anko. The duo spent the majority of their time training, completing a few D-ranked missions a week while focusing on training and improving. Anko had explained that D-ranks were mostly designed to help build teamwork among Genin teams and, since they were an apprenticeship and not a full team, they were mostly irrelevant to them, but they still needed a certain number before they could start doing real missions.

Anko's training was very diverse, since the woman didn't believe in specialization among shinobi and wanted her student to develop a wide variety of skills. So far the two main focuses had been developing his taijutsu and chakra control. Anko had started teaching him her preferred style the _Hebiken_ (Snake Fist). It was a fast, agile style that focused on precision and bursts of power, and it required extensive training to be used properly. Anko had him doing various exercises to strengthen his core body muscles, where most of the style's strength came from, as well as boost his speed and flexibility all while learning the basic katas and techniques of the Hebiken. As for chakra control, Anko had introduced his to the Tree Climbing Exercise, a chakra control training exercise where one had to balance and control the flow of chakra to their feet in order to stick to and climb on any vertical surface, on their first day together and had been building on it since then. She'd had him jump from tree to tree while landing only on vertical surfaces or throwing kunai at him while he practiced to build his concentration. All in all it was bitter and grueling work.

But it was well worth it. His taijutsu was improving rapidly, the forms and techniques of his new style easily outpacing the basic tactics employed by the Academy Basic Style he'd been using before; while his chakra control had nearly doubled, making it easier for him to use his jutsu and cards. Anko had even told him they'd be taking his control training to the next level very soon.

In addition Anko had been teaching him new jutsu, working on helping him master his Fire affinity while teaching him some lower level _Katon_ (Fire Release) techniques, as well as a few non-elemental jutsu. She'd also helped him work on the jutsu left in the _Ijiton_ (Will Release) scroll Theresa had left him and he'd been able to work out several of those jutsu as well. Finally, twice a week he and Anko would work with Asuma and Ino trading off teacher and student to continue their own training. Asuma had just started teaching him some combative _Fūton_ (Wind Release) techniques in addition to working on his affinity, while Ino was learning some more advanced taijutsu as well as few new jutsu of her own. The duo had even been invited to join Asuma and his team on a few of their after-training Barbeque dinners.

All in all it had been a grueling two months, but Naruto couldn't be happier. He had a cool, albeit crazy, sensei who was teaching him all kinds of wicked techniques. He was working with another cool, and thankfully less crazy, jounin to help improve a seemingly rare talent he had. And he was even getting the chance to become better friends with Ino-chan and her team. What was there not to like?

Right now the dynamic duo was heading toward the mission office, planning on grabbing another D-rank before they started training for the day. When the duo arrived they were quite surprised to see a small, light brown pug dressed in a blue vest and Konoha forehead protector sitting on the desk in front of the Hokage, handing the old man a scroll before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

"That's odd." stated Anko as she studied the scene.

"What Anko-sensei?" questioned the blonde. Granted seeing a dog delivering a scroll to the Hokage was unusual, but the blonde had seen hawks delivering scrolls to the old man before so it wasn't a complete surprise. The way it disappeared meant that the pug was probably a summons, which Anko had shown him extensively in their training period, using her own snakes as an example.

"That dog, I recognize it. It was one of Kakashi Hatake's ninken summons, Pakkun I think." stated the purple-haired jounin as she rubbed her chin. "He's one of the new genin senseis for your classmates, and if memory serves he and his gakis left for their first C-rank less than a week ago. Though, why would he need to send a message to the Hokage about a simple C-rank?" she asked more to herself than to Naruto.

As the two walked in, the Hokage looked up from the scroll he had been studying quite intently and a small smile appeared on his weathered features. "Ah, Special Team 11, perfect timing; I was just about to call for the two of you." greeted the old man professionally.

The seriousness in the old kage's voice instantly caused Anko to shift into full business mode. "What's the matter Hokage-sama?" she questioned in a crisp professional tone.

Naruto grinned. That was one the things he liked and respected the most about his sensei. She could go from crazy, care-free psycho-babe to professional kunoichi in a heartbeat.

"I've just received a report from Kakashi Hatake and Team 7. It appears their client misinformed them about the parameters of the mission they were assigned to and they ran into a couple of low Chūnin-ranked nuke-nin. While the team is unharmed and has agreed to continue the mission, Kakashi has sent in a request for back-up. Anko, are you and Naruto up for it?" questioned the aged kage.

"Hai Hokage-sama." agreed Anko with a stiff salute, this was just the kind of experience she and her gaki needed. Sparring and training was nice, but nothing beat actual battlefield experience.

"Good." agreed the Hokage with a nod. "Special Team 11 your mission is as follows: You are to head out and meet Team 7 at their client's home in _Nami no Kuni_ (Wave Country). Once there you are to take whatever actions you deem necessary to assist Team 7 in accomplishing their mission and protecting the bridge builder until the completion of his bridge." he ordered as he handed a scroll with all the relevant Intel to Anko, who accepted it before turning to Naruto.

"Pack your things gaki, we're heading out on a long-term mission so be prepared. Meet me at the South Gate in one hour." she ordered.

Naruto nodded and gave the woman a quick salute. "You've got it sensei." agreed the blonde

With that the two were off.

_(1 hour later, South Gate)_

Naruto sat on the ground just outside of the South Gate, a small cloth spread out in front of him as he kept his eyes half-closed while shuffling his Tarot cards. He'd arrived a bit earlier than he expected and decided to do a reading for the mission before they headed out. After all, one never knew what information the cards would reveal.

"Alright little friends, show me what awaits us in Wave." he whispered to the cards as he finished shuffling. With a quick flip of the wrist, the blonde fortune-teller laid down five cards across the cloth in front of him.

Flipping the cards one by one revealed The Devil, The Builder, War, The Crossroads, and The Snow. Naruto frowned as he studied the cards. "This is not good." muttered the blonde under his breath.

"What's not good gaki?" came Anko's voice from directly behind him.

Naruto didn't jump this time. Anko had been doing this for weeks, sneaking up behind him just to see if she could make him jump. It was astounding what people could get used to if given enough time. "The reading Anko-sensei, if it's right then we're in for a rough mission."

"How so?" questioned the purple-haired jounin. While she'd been working with the gaki for months now she still didn't know up from down when it came to the kid's fortune telling. All she knew was that the kid tended to be pretty accurate with his predictions and that was all she needed to know.

Naruto tapped the first card. "The Devil, it represents a looming evil, something or someone that's going to do a lot of harm to a lot of innocent people."

"Gatō probably." stated Anko. When Naruto gave her a look she explained, "Shipping magnate, business tycoon, wannabe mob boss, and all around sleaze-ball. According to Kakashi's report he's the one who hired the missing-nin to kill Tazuna, the client, and stop the construction of the bridge in order to get a strangle hold on Wave."

Naruto nodded before returning to his explanation. "The Builder represents a change, an improvement from the way things are to something better. I'm guessing that represents our client, Tazuna, and his hopes to save his country. War is just that: war it represents fights, blood and more than likely death. It means that we're getting involved in a fight between two opposing forces, The Devil and The Builder in this case, and that it's going to be bloody. The Crossroads however is the most worrying."

"Why's that?" asked a curious Anko.

"It represents something where fate has yet to be decided, a crossroads of destiny as it were, meaning we could just as easily win as lose. The only problem is it gives us no new information. At least a card telling us if we lose will give us some info to help us prepare and change the future, but the Crossroads gives us nothing, merely that the future will be greatly affected by the results of this mission and those results are still up in the air. Hell it might not even be talking about the fight itself but the fate of someone involved in it. It's a very vague card." he finished in a frustrated growl

"And the last one, The Snow, what does it mean?" asked Anko, trying to get him to move one.

"Purity, the pure white of freshly fallen snow." answered the blonde offhandedly, "But with it paired with The Crossroads there's just no way to be sure what exactly it could be talking about. It could mean the purity of our mission, a person, or even our deaths. There's just no way to know for sure with The Crossroads in play."

"Well at least we now know we're heading into a fight. That's something I guess." stated Anko as she stood and shrugged. "Now pack up gaki, we've got a ways to go before we reach Wave and I want to get there ASAP."

Naruto merely nodded as he picked up his cards

**_~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~~_**

_(Nami no Kuni, several days later)_

The duo made good time on their journey to Wave, crossing the over-land distance mostly by tree jumping and occasional bursts of sprinting. They reached the shoreline just the other day before finding transport through a contact listed in the report by the name of Kaji, who provided them with transportation to the small island-nation and final directions to Tazuna's home.

As the duo approached Naruto studied the building. It was a fairly large, two-story home, located in the center of a large clearing and opening up to a small inlet of the sea on one side. The only thing really odd about it was its location. Naruto wasn't sure of the reason why it had been built in the woods rather than a village, but he guessed the owner had simply wanted their privacy.

"If you would not mind, please halt and identify yourself." stated a voice as they approached the building. In a swirl of leaves Sai appeared before them, holding his tantō loosely in one hand.

"Anko Mitarashi and Naruto Uzumaki, here to provide backup and support for Team 7." answered Anko, throwing the dark haired boy the mission scroll.

Sai deftly caught the scroll with his free hand before inspecting it for a moment, making sure it bore the proper seal. "Very good." replied Sai as he finished his inspection before turning his attention to Naruto. "Uzumaki-san, what was the card that you said represented me when you gave me a reading after we first met?"

"The Pentacle." responded the blonde calmly, as he turned his head slightly.

The same fake smile as when they first met appeared on the boy's face as he sheathed his tantō. "Very good. I apologize for the questions but we've already faced three missing-nin and I wanted to make sure you were really who you say you are and not someone simply using a _Henge_ to approach unhampered." apologized the young ink-user as he threw the scroll back to Anko. "You'll want to give that to the Pervert, and he'll brief you on the mission so far. The Banshee and Dickless are inside as well."

Anko nodded before making a comment. "You know it was a bad idea to approach us gaki. If we'd been imposters like you thought it would have given us an easy opportunity to eliminate you."

Sai merely continued to smile as his voice rang out from behind them. "Which is why I didn't approach you directly." stated a second Sai as he walked between the two to stand next to his doppelganger. The first Sai suddenly began to distort and smear before dissolving into a large puddle of ink and flowing into a container on the second Sai's hip.

"**Sumi Bunshin no Jutsu**? (Ink Clone Technique)" stated Anko with a small grin, not the least bit surprised by the boy's sudden appearance. "Clever gaki, but clones won't fool everyone."

Sai continued to give her that same false smile. "I am well aware of that Mitarashi-san." he replied politely before turning to return to his lookout position.

Naruto was frowning slightly as he studied the departing-nin. "There's something seriously off about that guy." he stated softly to his sensei as they approached the house.

"Good eyes gaki." agreed Anko with a slight nod of his head. "Every move he made was guarded and ready to attack. Those were not the movements of any type of Genin."

"He was also able to almost completely suppress his chakra while watching us." stated Naruto. "I've been on high alert since we arrived here and I still barely sensed him hiding from us."

Anko nodded before ruffling his hair. "But you still caught him gaki. Don't think I didn't notice you glancing behind us while you were answering that clone."

"There was a slight distortion with his chakra. I've noticed the same thing with my chakra and yours as well whenever we use a clone technique. It's not something I could notice in the heat of battle, but when I have time to concentrate its there." answered the blonde with a slight blush. "After that it was pretty easy to locate the original, no matter how well he suppressed himself."

"Don't be so modest gaki." stated Anko as she continued to affectionately ruffle the blonde's spikey hair as they entered the house.

Sasuke was sitting at a table in the sitting room as they walked. The dark-haired avenger stiffened when they entered before relaxing slightly as he recognized them. "What are you two doing here?" he questioned them calmly.

"We're your backup gaki." answered Anko, ignoring the Uchiha's annoyed twitch she continued. "Where's your sensei? We need to coordinate our information with him and try to set up some sort of plan for how we're going to deal with this shit-storm of a mission."

Sasuke merely grunted before indicating the hallway next to him. "Kakashi-sensei's upstairs, second door on the right. Sakura should be with him, doing what she can to tend to his wounds." answered the Uchiha.

Anko nodded before heading to the steps, with Naruto following closely behind.

The inside of the room Sasuke had indicated was fairly empty save for its two inhabitants. One was Kakashi Hatake himself, sitting atop a futon with the blankets pooled around his lower body. The man appeared quite pale and was sweating severely. His shirt and vest were gone, revealing his pale but well-muscled chest. Running down from his right shoulder to the lower-left edge of his stomach was a set of bandages which, while apparently fresh, were already wet with blood. Sitting next to the bed, apparently just finishing changing the man's bandages was one Sakura Haruno.

"Man Hatake, I knew you had a thing for younger girls but she's your student for Kami's sake." grossed Anko as she entered the room, causing the blonde following her to snicker and the pinkette to scowl before leaving the room, while Kakashi gave her a bored look.

"Now's really not the time for bad jokes Anko." stated the one-eyed nin. "I take it you two are the back-up Hokage-sama sent for us."

"Yup." agreed a cheery Anko as she plopped down next to Kakashi's mattress as she tossed the man the mission scroll. Giving him a minute to look it over she continued. "So what's the situation and why do you look like you've gone a few rounds too many with a very big axe?"

Kakashi finished looking over the scroll before starting his explanation. It seems that the trio had arrived in Wave a few days ago after defeating the Demon Brothers and sending out the request for backup. Only to encounter Zabuza Momochi shortly after their arrival…

"Wait you mean the Zabuza Momochi? A-rank, borderline S-rank, missing-nin Zabuza Momochi? _Kirigakure no Kijin_ (Demon of the Hidden Mists) Zabuza Momochi?" questioned an obviously disturbed Anko.

Kakashi only nodded his reply

"Damnit!" hissed out Anko. "When the shit starts coming down, it _really_ starts coming down."

"Sorry Anko-sensei, but who is Zabuza Momochi?" asked a clearly confused Naruto. Clearly this was not a man to be underestimated if his sensei's little rant was anything to go by.

"Remind me to give you a copy of the Bingo Book to study when we get home gaki." stated Anko before she answered him "Zabuza Momochi is a former member of the _Kiri no Shinobigatana Shichinin Shū_ (Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist), a collection of the seven strongest blade-wielding shinobi in the village of _Kirigakure no Sato_ (Village Hidden in the Mist). They're supposed to be Kiri's elite of the elite and rumors have it their swords have got some crazy powers behind them, and Zabuza Momochi is supposedly the last surviving member of what was called their strongest generation. According to our Intel he attempted to kill the Mizukage in a failed coup d'état, and subsequently fled Kiri, becoming a nuke-nin. The guy is seriously bad news." she finished before turning to glare at Kakashi. "You should have sent another message to Hokage-sama the second you found out who it was you were dealing with."

"I couldn't." responded Kakashi calmly. "As you can see Zabuza got me good in our fight and I'm currently suffering from extreme chakra exhaustion. I don't have the chakra to summon a messenger, and even if I did I doubt it would get through, no doubt either Zabuza or Gatō have set up some means to block communications from leaving the island."

"So we're basically cut off from the rest of the world until Zabuza and the midget are dead?" asked Anko, getting a nod from Kakashi. "Damn, we're in for a bumpy ride. How the hell did you and your gakis get away from that guy anyway?"

"We got lucky. Zabuza and I fought and I'd like to think I held my own for a while before he managed to catch me with a Suirō no Jutsu (Water Prison Technique). Luckily for me, he severely underestimated my genin and attempted to use a single Water Clone to take out all three. Sai and Sasuke were able to use a combination of their own to beat the clone and surprise Zabuza enough to get him to release me."

"How'd they do that?" asked a curious Naruto.

"Sasuke was able to take the clone by surprise using a Katon ninjutsu before attacking the original with a Fūma shuriken and the Kage Shuriken no Jutsu (Shadow Shuriken Technique) at the same time as Sai used his Chōjū Giga (Super Beast Imitation Drawing) to release several attacks on Zabuza in tandem. Zabuza was unable to dodge both attacks while still maintaining control over the water prison, so I managed to escape before turning the tables on him, though not without costs." he added massaging the wound across his chest. "Before I could finish him off, he was attacked by a hunter-nin who placed several senbon in his neck before disappearing with the body."

"Wait a minute." stated Anko. "You mean a hunter-nin attacked him with _senbon_ and then _carried_ the body away. That doesn't sound right at all."

"Why not Anko-sensei?" questioned Naruto.

"A hunter-nin's job is to kill nuke-nin from their village and dispose of the corpses in order to remove any trace that they ever existed and keep a village's secrets secret." answered Anko as she rubbed her chin in thought. "Hunters are supposed to use lethal weapons and dispose of the bodies immediately after execution. To use senbon, which are usually nonlethal unless they strike a few specific points on the body, and then carry the corpse away…it just doesn't make any sense."

"My thoughts exactly Anko." agreed Kakashi. "My best guess is that our hunter-nin isn't really a hunter-nin."

"You mean they're in cahoots with Zabuza?" asked Naruto, getting a nod of confirmation from Kakashi. "Then that means that Zabuza…"

"Is likely very much alive." agreed a rather dour Anko.

"Agreed." stated Kakashi with a nod of his head. "Luckily he was hurt almost as badly as me, so it will be a while before he's ready to fight again. That gives us some time."

Anko nodded. "Right, first things first, we need you on your feet again ASAP." stated Anko before turning to Naruto. "You got anything in that bag of tricks of yours to help?"

Naruto thought for a minute, cupping his chin in imitation of his sensei. "I've got nothing that'll help with the chakra exhaustion, the only cards I have that restore chakra would probably damage his chakra network if I flooded too much into him while he was injured and recovering. I've got a single healing technique, but I doubt it would work that well on an injury this serious, but I've got just the card for it." stated the blonde as he reached into his pouch before quickly removing a card and placing it over Kakashi's bandaged wound, revealing an image of a dark-haired healer with her hands surrounded by an aura of pale green and the words 'The Hierophant' written on a scroll in the same gothic script as all the other cards.

"_The Hierophant_" whispered the blonde as he channeled chakra into the card. Instantly the card began to glow with a pale green light. Slowly tendrils of energy, glowing the same pale green as the card, crept out of the card and began tracing along the edges of the bandages before seeping between them, flowing into the wounds. Kakashi couldn't help but let out a relieved sigh as the cool, familiar feeling of healing chakra rushed over his wounded chest.

The blonde kept his eyes closed for several minutes as he continued to channel chakra into the card before stopping. As the light faded, the card seemed to dissolve with it, fading away with the pale green light around it.

Kakashi felt the edge of the wound with his free hand and, feeling no pain and finding no soft, hollow wound, started to peel back the bandage to look beneath, only to find nothing but skin. The skin where the wound used to be was pale and new, but otherwise it was like the massive slash across his chest had never existed. Turning his attention to the blonde he noticed the boy was sweating and panting slightly. Whatever trick he used obviously took a lot of chakra, especially if what Anko had mentioned about his reserves were true.

"That was a very useful trick Naruto, thank you for the help." stated the one-eyed nin as he rolled his right shoulder experimentally. It was still stiff as a board from both the fight and his chakra exhaustion, but at least he could move without reopening his chest wound.

"No problem, Kakashi-san." responded the blonde, who was still panting.

"Well that's one problem out of the way." stated Anko. "Granted your still next to useless in a real fight for a couple more weeks until you've recovered from your chakra exhaustion, but at least you'll be of some use." stated Anko, with Kakashi nodding his head slightly. "So what are we going to do now?"

"I was planning on giving my team some extra training so they'll be ready when Zabuza returns. Naruto's free to join them while we rotate keeping an eye on the bridge-builder and his family." offered Kakashi.

"What were you planning on teaching them?" responded Anko calmly.

"I was planning to teach them the _Ki Nobori no Shugyō_ (Tree Walking Exercise)." answered Kakashi with an eye-smile.

Anko gave him a dead-pan look. "You're not serious are you?" when the older shinobi gave her a blank look, she face-palmed. "Kakashi I taught my gaki that within our first week together. You've had yours for what two, almost three months? What the flying fuck have you been teaching them?"

Kakashi merely shrugged. "I've been trying to build up their teamwork, unfortunately their personalities clash so much it hasn't been working. I'd hoped this would be a simple C-rank to help pull them together, maybe give them a close-call or two to try and force some of the realities of shinobi life into their head. Unfortunately that went out the window the moment Zabuza showed up."

Anko let out a sigh, this just kept getting worse and worse. "Anyway, I don't think that would be a good idea. Even with Zabuza injured, Gatō might have more goons and missing-nin on his pay roll than we can deal with by staying defensive. What we need is something to draw the midget's attention away from us until the bridge is finished."

"So what's the plan sensei?" asked Naruto.

"You and me are going to run a little interference on Gatō's operations here in Wave." stated a smirking Anko.

Naruto did not like the look of that smirk. It usually meant things were going to get bloody and painful for someone. He just hoped it wasn't him.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**_~~~~~~~~ JUTSU IDENTIFICATION ~~~~~~~_**

**Sumi Bunshin no Jutsu **(Ink Clone Technique) – _C-rank, supplementary ninjutsu_. A solid clone formed using a small amount of ink as a base to give it substance and form.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**_END CHAPTER 11_**

**_Sorry for the long delay and relative shortness of the chapter, but my muse has been focused elsewhere._**

**_Just to let you know I'll probably be focusing more on my other story Naruto Blades Bows and Souls for a while, I've just got a lot of inspiration for it at the moment._**

**_I still intend to update and work on this one, but my muse pulls me elsewhere at the moment and my fellow writers know how futile it is to fight the muse. _**

**_Until next time _**

**_READ AND REVIEW_**


	12. Trouble Comes in Waves

**Naruto: A Seer's Fable**

**REVIEW RESPONSE:**

**Lazurth**: You also need to remember that each card has multiple meanings and can represent many things, so its best not to make too many assumptions.

**OBSERVER01**: My reasoning is the same as the story's: he was focusing more on getting them to work together before teaching any techniques, only the danger of the mission forced his hand.

**reaperfrost8**: Who?

**ferduran**: The girl will make their appearances known at their own rate, and I'm not sure about the physical changes, Strength and Skill will probably help him grow taller and broader, but I'm not sure about adding the Will markings.

**FanFicReader105**: Maybe in the future, but no special weapons just yet.

**reaperfrost8**: Sorry, but the rules of the Narutoverse claim that techniques must be shouted or named before using, and I dare not break those most holy laws.

_hi_: To answer your question: the spire is hidden so Theresa may wander as she sees fit, I will not say, I will not say, Phone is no one but a figment of your imagination.

_Guest_: Rookie of the year is not merely test scores, but accumulated scores for the entire Academy period.

**Wander Sage**: Ah, Hellsing, truly a pinnacle of the magna world, and Walter always was a favorite of mine, Alucard was just a wee bit too…insane…for me to get fully behind and Seras, while hot, just wasn't protaganisty enough.

**Ryo no Kitsune**: I really don't think those can apply in this kind of story, they were too game mechanic for me.

_To everyone else that reviewed I thank you for your time and support._

"Human Speech"

'_Human Thought'_

**"Demon/Summons Speech"**

**'_Demon/Summons Thought'_**

**Jutsu **or _Card_

_HEY EVERYBODY! I'm back, and sorry for the long wait, hopefully it won't happen again. Oh, and I have also started editing the earlier chapters of this story, correcting some mistakes I've found. The newly updated chapters should be uploaded with this chap so look back if you want The biggest change is I've corrected Naruto's age so he's 15 now, and did some editing and laid off a bit where I think my youthful rancor led me to bash too heavily, so no major changes_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Fable, or anything other than my own original ideas for this story**

**_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_**

**Chapter 12: Trouble Comes in Waves**

_(Wave Warehouse District, Several Days Later)_

Naruto sighed as he landed on a patched wooden rooftop a few buildings away from tonight's target. It had been nearly a week since he and Anko-sensei had arrived in Wave and gotten Kakashi-sensei's report. For the first couple of days they'd simply gathered information. Unfortunately, Anko-sensei's ideal method of gathering intel was to kidnap a random thug or mercenary and 'convince' them to tell her everything they knew. He was pretty sure Tazuna and his family were now officially traumatized from the amount of screams that had come up from their basement, which Anko had requisitioned to act as her interrogation room.

Still, they had acquired quite a bit of useful information. After only two days and a dozen broken thugs they knew nearly everything about Gatō's _shipping_ (i.e. smuggling) operations in Wave, his supply bases, and his forces. It seems that Gatō didn't take much stock in information security, if all the low-level thugs, and one mid-level thug commander, had known nearly everything about Gatō's activities in Wave. Anko had shrugged it off, saying that their opponent wasn't a ninja or even a military professional, he was a low-life businessman playing at being a mob-boss, the idea of hiding or dividing his operations to keep enemy agents from discovering them just hadn't crossed his mind. In other words, he was an arrogant prick who was stupid enough to think he had complete control over what happened in 'his' country.

Since then they'd raided a trio of supply bases, eliminating the mercs guarding the building before stripping them bare and seeing to it that the liberated supplies were put to good use and distributed among Wave's populace, with no small amount of help from Tazuna and his workers, who helped pass along the supplies to everyone else and avoid Gatō's moles. Tonight was different though, tonight's target was not a supply base but a warehouse, more specifically a drug warehouse for one of Gatō's more lucrative, and illegal, operations. That changed everything, rather than robbing it blind they were going to burn it to the ground. That meant they needed a change in tactics. The plan put him and Anko at less risk than the previous raids, but would kill a lot more mercenaries in the process

'_Not that these guys deserve any better.'_ thought the blonde to himself. _'After all they've done to this country; I'm not going to lose any sleep over them.'_ While gathering information, Naruto and Anko had seen just what Gatō and his mercenaries were doing to Wave. Any sympathy for the men who were going to die tonight vanished as he remembered the starved and haggard people who these men were freely and happily abusing for a profit.

Naruto eyes narrowed as he studied his target for tonight. It wasn't very hard to find. The large, four-story tall, dark stone warehouse with a sheet-metal roof and no windows was rather different from the squat stone and woodwork that Wave's native population favored when constructing their warehouses and was much more recent in construction. It was clearly designed to be defensible in addition to acting as a storage building. Still, it was designed to keep out normal thieves and curious folk, not a shinobi.

With a final breath Naruto leapt forward, clearing the roof of the smaller building he'd been standing on and landing easily on the side of the larger building, feet clinging to the stonework as he silently scaled the final few feet to the roof. Finding a suitable spot to begin, he placed one hand onto the metallic surface while drawing a kunai with the other. With a moment's concentration the kunai's blade was covered in a thin coating of wind chakra, drastically increasing its cutting power so it carved through the thin metal roof like a pair of scissors cutting through paper. As the final inch of metal gave way Naruto rapidly applied chakra to his other hand, causing it to stick to the detached roof section in a similar manner to the tree-walking exercise, before slowly lifting it up and placing it to the side, revealing a hole easily wide enough for him to leap through.

With another quick leap the blonde was inside, crouching on one of the beams running through the top of the warehouse and connecting the supports that held the roof up. Down below, hundreds of crates, no doubt filled with various illegal substances, sat across the floor in small stacks and piles while a couple dozen mercenaries milled around, acting as guards. Some slowly paced the warehouse's expansive confines, cluttered as they were, while others leaned or sat on one or more of the crates. A few were sipping from one bottle or another while one group had sat a crate between them and were playing cards. Obviously they weren't expecting anyone to be dumb enough to attack them.

What foolish soon-to-be corpses.

Placing a finger to his ear, the blonde activated his walkie-talkie. "Foxtrot to Snake Charmer, I'm in position." whispered the blonde. Chakra-powered radio receivers were such a useful thing, they worked through an application of chakra after setting the seal-based devices to the proper frequency.

"Gotcha Foxy, you know the plan. Burn the place to the ground and I'll wipe out the runners." replied Anko's familiar voice, the happily sadistic tone telling the blonde exactly how much she loved her work.

"Remember to leave a few alive to spread the word sensei. Our main goal's to cause a panic among Gatō's men and force the little bastard to lay off Tazuna and his people." reminded the blonde. His teacher could get a little…overly enthusiastic at times.

"I know gaki, I know. Doesn't mean I'm not gonna scare the crap out of the survivors with and give them a few superficial wounds though." replied Anko with a sadistic giggle.

Naruto sighed again, knowing his sensei that meant the survivors would likely be missing a limb or two. _'I suppose that'll have to do.'_ thought the blonde before he touched his earpiece again. "Alright sensei, just remember superficial means nonlethal. I'm starting now." replied the blonde as he moved into position. Placing his back against one of the supports connected to the roof to hide himself, he quickly ghosted through a few handseals.

"**Ninpō: Kumonosu no Jutsu**! (Ninja Art: Spiderweb Technique) (1)." whispered the blonde as he held both hands out. Instantly the small metal tips of his _senretsu_ wires began to glow with a faint aura of chakra before flying forward, weaving an intricate pattern among the beams and support columns of the warehouse's upper reaches. In a few moments the nearly invisible stretches of wire had woven an intricate web among the gloomy rafters.

The moments the final wire was anchored and his web was complete, the blonde went through another set of seals, finishing as he brought his hands close to his mouth. "**Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu**! (Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique) (2)." proclaimed the blonde, no longer attempting to quiet his voice, as he breathed out a large amount of searing flames onto the wires connected to each of his fingers. The blonde continued to breathe out flames, watching as the entire web was quickly set alight and turning the entire upper section of the warehouse into a fiery mosaic. The mercenaries below quickly began to shout in alarm as they watched in awe and surprise. Finally, after continuously releasing flames for several minutes, the blonde stopped before taking a moment to catch his breath before continuing.

'_Time to finish this.' _thought the blonde as he performed two more handseals. "**Katon: Hibana Hana**! (Fire Release: Fire Flower Blossoms) (3)." proclaimed the blonde once more, sending another surge of chakra through his wires. The flames already dancing across the metallic cords suddenly grew even larger, tripling in size before exploding into a massive burst of miniature fireballs that rapidly began to fall towards the floor. Dozens upon dozens of inch wide fireballs rained down onto the waiting cargo crates and mercenaries. As each of the fireballs came into contact with a solid surface they exploded, erupting in a small burst of flames and heat that instantly ignited any flammable material it came in contact with, whether it was the wooden crates and supports or the hair and clothes of the now panicking mercenaries.

As the warehouse quickly turned into an inferno, those mercenaries who hadn't already been ignited by the falling fireballs or caught in the flaming debris that was already starting to fall from the scaffolding and stacks of crates made a run for the only exit. As the door flew open and the first mercs made it outside, a rain of shuriken caught them mid-step. The fleeing mercenaries fell to the ground dead seconds later. Those following the first group stopped in their tracks as they watched their comrades getting cut down, realizing they were now between a rock and a very hot place.

His mission accomplished, Naruto leapt back out through the hole he'd created before the support he was standing on could fully catch ablaze or collapse and leapt back toward the roof he'd been on minutes earlier. As his feet landed on the hardwood roof of the adjacent building a shout of, "He's on the roof!" caught his attention.

Turning his attention in the direction of the shout; the blonde caught sight of the door accessing the building's roof flying open as a mercenary wielding a large, cleaver-like sword charged through. It seems Gatō wasn't as stupid as they thought and had taken some precautions by planting some mercenaries in the buildings adjacent to his warehouse as lookouts. Naruto briefly considered simply making a run for it; with his shinobi training he could easily get away by leaping from rooftop to rooftop, a feat the mercenaries were unlikely to be able to follow, before shaking his head in the negative. Anko had been clear; no one was supposed to get a good look at them. Fear tactics were a lot more effective when you didn't know what your enemy looked like after all.

With a slight twist of his hips the blonde easily side-stepped the clumsy downward swing the sword-wielding merc attempted on him before shoving his fist into the man's stomach, bending him over at his midpoint. As air and saliva escaped the merc's mouth the blonde connected with another strike, a roundhouse kick that sent the mercenary flying off the edge of the roof and falling to the ground two stories below headfirst.

Even as the sword-wielding mercenary fell and his sword clattered against the roof's surface, the blonde's attention shifted as two more mercenaries charged in, probably coming through the door while Naruto was dealing with their fellow. Both were large and thickly muscled, one carrying a large mallet while the other carried a huge two-handed club. Both charged as one, sharing a battle cry as they swung their massive weapons in tandem. Naruto easily leapt over the slow-moving, if admitably strong, swings before using both mercs' faces as stepping stones to leap backward and regain some distance from the doorway and the source of these annoyances. While the two mercs grabbed their, likely broken, noses, Naruto drew a trio of cards in each hand and channeled some wind chakra into them.

**"Fūton: ****Kazetan**! (Wind Release: Wind Edge) (4)." intoned the blonde as he let the, now glowing, cards fly at his opponents' heads. Both mercs swung their weapons one-handed, the other still gripping their faces, attempting to swat the projectiles away, only for them to cut through the wooden portions easily. Neither had time to make a sound of surprise as the blades lodged into their heads seconds later, one sporting a card through the center of his forehead while the other had one sticking out of his throat.

Still more mercs charged through the door, this time a trio of mercenaries tried to charge Naruto at once. One was wielding a normal sword, the other had a polearm with a head shaped like a crescent moon, while the third was spinning a pair of clubs like batons as he charged. As the three charged, Naruto quickly brought out six more cards, three in each hand, before throwing them at his newest opponents. After seeing what happened to their coworkers, all three decided to dodge out of the way instead of trying to block, separating them and giving Naruto a better target. Naruto leapt forward, striking the sword-wielder with a flying kick to the chest that sent the man stumbling back and gasping for breath. The blonde landed in a crouch before twisting to the side to dodge a strike from the polearm-wielder. Grabbing the extended handle, the blonde quickly rose to his feet and shot a low kick at his attacker's leg, breaking his balance and allowing the blonde to use his own weight and grip on his weapon to throw him into the still recovering swordsman, sending both tumbling to the ground.

The club-wielder tried to rush him from behind, but the blonde, easily sensing his attacker's clumsy attempt, leapt into the air, dodging both swings before kicking the man in the back of the head and sending him into the pile with his two friends. As soon as the blonde landed he formed a single Ram seal before shouting, "**Ijiton: Oshi Kyōsei**! (Will Release: Force Push) (5)," before raising his palms and releasing a blast of force that sent all three flying from the rooftop and smacking into the side of the adjacent, still-burning building before falling dead to the streets.

Naruto didn't even have a moment to catch his breath as another mercenary lunged at him, this one wielding a broad-bladed combat knife. Naruto quickly side-stepped the lunge and took a step back, his attacker following him relentlessly with a barrage of stabs and slashes with his knife, attempting to keep the blonde in close, as if he was trying to keep the blonde focused on him. A sudden *_twang_* and a sharp whistling sound instantly told the blonde what was happening. Grabbing his attacker's extended arm as he tried to stab him again, Naruto used the man's own momentum against him and quickly pulled the merc directly in front of him, turning the thug into a human shield. A second later the knife-wielder grunted as an arrow lodged in the center of chest. As he fell dead to the ground, Naruto caught sight of his attacker, a mercenary armed with a crossbow standing next to the door even as another emerging was already emerging.

_'I need to get out of here, I can't keep fighting these guys all night.'_ thought the blonde as he started a set of handseals._ 'If I can seal that door then I can get out of here without risking anyone seeing me.'_ decided the blonde as his hands finished the final seal before, with a slight flourish, four cards appeared in one of his hands, which another flip of the wrist revealed to be a pair of jacks and a pair of kings. "**Karuta Jutsu: Nitai** (Playing Card Technique: Two Pairs)(6)." shouted the blonde once more as he threw all four cards at once at the doorway

The two mercs quickly moved to dodge, the crossbow wielder leaping behind the small outcropping that housed the stairwell in an attempt to use it as cover while the other retreated back inside, pulling the door closed behind him in an attempt to block the incoming projectiles. Unfortunately for them, neither one was the target. All four cards struck home, impacting into one of the four corners of the doorway before they started glowing brightly. A moment later the doorway was engulfed in a massive explosion, collapsing the stairwell and the destroying a good portion of the rooftop. The crossbow-wielding merc attempting to take cover behind it was thrown backward, his body smoldering and covered in bits of stone and wood shrapnel as he fell to the ground below, and, judging by the screams and shouts inside, several other mercs had been too close to the door when it blew.

Naruto smirked as he turned and ran for the edge of the roof. _'Time to make my exit before they decide whether they want to run or try shifting through the rubble.'_ thought the blonde as he leapt off the edge before making his way to the rendezvous point

_**~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~**_

_(Gatō's Estate, A few hours later)_

"Those BASTARDS burned down one of _MY_ _WAREHOUSES_!" shouted the diminutive crime-lord as he glared at the secretary standing in front of him.

"Y-yes sir." stuttered the young man wearing a business suit quietly, more than a little afraid of his boss's anger; it wasn't unheard of for Gatō to kill the messenger when he heard something he didn't like. "The main warehouse on Dock 3 to be exact. I'm afraid it, and all the products stored within were completely destroyed. All together it's a loss of at least several million ryō." he continued meekly.

"So you're saying that these…these…_punks_ have destroyed another piece of my property and cost me a small fortune in products?" snarled the miniature mobster. "What does that make now, three attacks in as many days?"

"Three supply depots were raided and, with the destruction of your warehouse, that makes four over a five day period sir." answered the secretary as he fingered the file nervously.

"And none of the nitwits I've hired has even gotten a look at the people responsible?" continued the criminal midget.

"Sadly no, most of your employees on-site were killed in the attack, the few who survived claim that they never saw the attackers before being forced to withdraw."

"You mean before they ran like cowards." growled Gatō, "What the hell am I paying these people for? What about Zabuza, can't he look into this, or at least send that little bitch of his?"

"I'm afraid not. Zabuza-san has already stated that he was hired to assassinate the bridge-builder, not to act as security. He stated that, unless you were willing to offer another lucrative contract for their services, his only priority was Tazuna." replied the secretary meekly

"That cheap, good-for-nothing little…" muttered Gatō before he forced himself to calm. "Alright, pull back all of my men and put them all on security detail; double the security on all my operations, and triple it on my mansion. Once Zabuza takes care of the bridge-builder and his bodyguards then our problems will be solved anyway, until then we play defense and wait for our chance."

"I'm sorry sir, but how will killing the bridge-builder end our problem." asked the confused secretary.

"Are you blind or just stupid?" returned Gatō as he glared at the younger man who wilted under his employers glare. "These attacks only started after Tazuna brought his bodyguards in. It's obvious they're the ones behind it, and once they're gone so is our problem."

_**~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~**_

_(Tazuna's House, Two Days Later)_

"So Gatō's withdrawn most of his men from the town." stated Anko calmly as she addressed the gathered inhabitants. Naruto sitting by her side while Team 7 took up the opposite end of the table and Tazuna's family sat on her side with the old man at the head. "From the looks of it, he's focusing on protecting his remaining interests from further raids, so your people shouldn't have to worry about being harassed on the streets for a while Tazuna-san, not to mention giving your workers some breathing room."

Tazuna nodded before tipping his glass to her. "Thank you lass." slurred the old drunk. "The supplies you and your student have gotten us have helped a great many people, and, more than that, they have helped rekindle hope in the hearts of my people, showing them that Gatō and his men can be beat."

"Not a problem Tazuna-san, it was actually a lot of fun 'procuring' those supplies." stated a grinning Anko. "My favorite part was watching the mercenaries die, scream, or run away while screaming before dying." she finished with a sadistic giggle, making the rest of the room, sans Naruto, who had grown used to his sensei's odd behavior, and Inari, who was too busy glaring at the table, sweat-drop.

"What sensei means is that it was our pleasure to help." translated the blonde as he sipped his tea. "With Gatō's thugs pulling back the only real threat is Zabuza and any shinobi he brings with him, and Anko-sensei and Kakashi-sensei, when he recovers, should be more than a match for them. With a bit of luck and a little faith we'll win this." stated the blonde proudly.

That seemed to be the last straw for Inari. "Would you just shut up already!" shouted the boy as he slammed his hands against the table and looked up to glare directly at the blonde.

Naruto merely looked up from his tea, "You've got something you want to say kid?"

"Yes I do." growled the irate pre-teen as he began shouting at the Konoha contingent, particularly Naruto. "You people are just wasting your time. So what if you can beat a few of Gatō's thugs? He's got an entire army at his beck and call. He's got people stronger than all of you. You're going to fight and they're going to win. The strong always win and the weak always lose. You'll die just like…" the boy's voice suddenly lost its heat and trailed off near the end.

"Just like Kaiza." offered the blonde, still sipping his tea as he finished the boy's sentence.

The Wave natives seemed shocked that he knew the name, while the rest of the Konoha group seemed mostly confused.

Naruto simply continued to sip his tea as he explained. "Anko-sensei and I worked a lot with Tazuna's employees, helping them distribute the supplies we acquired. While we worked, one of them told me the story about Kaiza, how he lived and how he died." stated the blonde calmly before his voice became much more somber. "If even half of what they said was true than he was truly a man worthy of the title of hero."

"There's no such thing as heroes!" screamed Inari as he glared at the blonde with a renewed vigor.

"There will always be heroes as long as people are brave enough to fight for what they believe in!" returned the blonde heatedly, his eyes suddenly locking onto the younger boy's.

"Shut up!" Inari shouted back, "Just shut up! You have no idea what you're talking about! You don't know what my father was like, what he went through, what we've had to endure! You don't know what it's like to be treated like dirt, what it's like to suffer!"

Naruto's eyes suddenly became as cold as glaciers as he responded. "I know a great many things brat." hissed the blonde. "I know you know nothing about _my_ life. I know your father died bravely, doing what he could to defend his home. I know that you grandfather is risking his life to save his nation. I know they both know more about bravery and honor than you could ever hope to imagine. I know that heroes don't always win their fights, but only when people give up and refuse to fight is all hope lost." stated the blonde as he stood up. "And I know your father is probably rolling over in his grave with the insults you're throwing at him and his sacrifice." he finished before turning to leave.

"Naruto, that was uncalled for!" shouted Sakura, displeased the blonde would say something like that to a little kid. Inari looked like he was about ready to start wailing again after that last comment.

"It's the truth. Kaiza gave his life to protect this nation and now the brat's calling all that worthless. If that's not spitting on the man's grave then I don't know what is." responded the blonde icily over his shoulder. "I'm going for a walk sensei, I'll be back in the morning." finished the blonde with a wave over his shoulder toward his sensei as he made his way towards the front door

"Alright gaki, just don't get into too much trouble." replied Anko with a lackadaisical wave of her hand. As the door closed behind her student, Anko turned her attention to Inari who was sobbing in his seat. "You know, as his teacher, I should probably apologize for that."

"Th-" started Tsunami as she moved to comfort her son.

"But I have a strict policy about never apologizing for telling the truth, and, despite not being the most diplomatic way of putting it, everything my gaki said was true." finished Anko offhandedly.

"Anko, is this really necessary?" sighed Kakashi as he looked up from his book.

"Yes, yes it is. The whiny gaki needs to learn the facts of life and it looks like I'm the only one with the guts to teach them." stated Anko smugly toward the silver-haired jounin before she turned her attention back to Inari. "Now I'm going to give you a little comparison between yours and Naruto's lives, in the end you can decide which of you have had it worst. You lost your dad. Naruto's an orphan, he never knew his parents, doesn't even know their names let alone their faces. You still have your gramps and mother. Naruto doesn't have a single relative, the closest thing he has are a couple of old-timers who treat him like an adopted grandchild. One has got a job that devours most of his time and the other is constantly traveling. You've got a family looking after you. Naruto's had to look after himself since he left the orphanage at age 7 to start our Academy. You whine about how horrible Gatō's been to you and yours. Naruto has lived his entire life with a large majority of our hometown looking down on him." finished Anko sharply.

Inari didn't respond, didn't even look up, as he tried to process the information.

"No matter how bad things are gaki, there's probably someone out there that's been through or will go through worse. It's not a happy fact, but it's one of the truths of the world. Naruto's been through shit a lot worse than you, but there's one big difference between you two: my gaki doesn't know the meaning of the words 'give up.' When things get hard, Naruto just starts fighting back harder. When life tries to kick him down, my gaki knees it in the crotch." stated Anko proudly as she stood and stretched. "You need to make a decision kid: are you just gonna keep whining until someone decides to shut you up, or are going to grow a pair and do something about it." offered the purple-haired jounin as she headed toward her room for a bit of shut eye

There was very little conversation at the table after she left.

_**~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~**_

_(Wave Forest, A short time later)_

Naruto let out a sigh as he walked through the woods. That had not gone well. He knew he should have been the bigger person, shouldn't have snapped at the whiny brat like he did, but the way the kid acted, like he was the only person who'd ever had anything bad happen to him, it just rubbed him the wrong way. Not to mention the kid had insulted heroes, the very thing Naruto wanted to become. But the worst part was that the kid just…gave up. If there was one thing Naruto hated it was quiters, people who gave up on everything when things got hard.

To Naruto, everything was a challenge that could be overcome if you were willing to work for it. It was an attitude that was born from a life where he'd had to work for nearly everything he got, from respect among the villagers, to grades in the academy, to nearly anything else. No one had ever given Naruto anything on a silver platter, both Theresa-bāchan and Hokage-jīsan had helped him at times, but he'd always have to work to earn what he got from them through diligence and training. People who simply gave up when life got bumpy, people who were too used to getting things without effort, annoyed him to no end. It was one of the reasons he didn't like 'geniuses' like Neji and Sasuke, aside from the fact that they both acted like they had a ten-foot pole up their respective asses, they got things without having to work for them based purely on talent. The blonde was proud of his hard work and all it had gotten him, and he was sure that if it ever came down to it his hard work would beat their genius.

It was an attitude two spandex-wearing taijutsu enthusiasts would proclaim 'most youthful!'

Anyway, Inari's attitude had pressed a whole mess of buttons on him. It wasn't that Naruto couldn't sympathize with the kid, but he couldn't excuse the way the kid was acting either. From what he'd heard Kaiza was the type to never give up, another thing he respected the dead man for, and the way Inari was acting like they should just give up without trying; it was just plain spitting on the man's grave. Then the brat had the nerve to act like _he_ was the spoiled one, like he'd never had something bad happen to him. Naruto wasn't one to indulge in self-pity, but he would be the first to admit his childhood was far from perfect.

Still, that didn't change the fact that he'd acted like a grade-one jackass to the kid. Taking in another deep breath to sigh, he stopped as a familiar, metallic scent crossed his nose.

Blood!

Moving on instinct, Naruto ran toward the source of the scent. A moment later he erupted into a clearing and found them. Foxes, four of them; it looked like an entire family. An adult, one of the parents obviously, and three kits, all looking barely old enough to eat solid food let alone survive on their own. All of them were covered in slash marks, showing a sword was the most likely cause of their demise, and there was a void in the blood showing that one of the bodies, likely the other parent, had been removed.

Naruto felt his stomach drop slightly at the sight. He had killed before, now multiple times on this mission alone, but such pointless slaughter still got to him. When he killed, it was because he either had no choice or the people involved needed to die. Mizuki had tried to kill him and the mercenaries were helping Gatō tyrannize and brutalize Wave and its people. But this…this was simply mindless slaughter, done for no other reason than to appease some sick fuck's bloodlust.

Suddenly his attention was diverted. He sensed something, a weak chakra coming from one of the kits. It was still alive! Rushing toward it, Naruto leaned down to get a better look. Its chest was indeed rising and falling, though the movements were admitably weak and shallow. The poor thing had a cut over one eye, though it looked like it wasn't deep enough to damage the eye itself, along with several other gashes over its body and legs, but none deep enough for a fatal wound. It looked like the kit was close to bleeding out.

"It's alright little one." breathed Naruto softly, his hands already forming the seals for his only healing jutsu. "I'm not going to let you die for nothing. **Ijiton: Jinsei Iyasu**! (Will Release: Heal Life) (7)." proclaimed the blonde. As his hands glowed light green he brought them close to the kit, letting thin streamers of pale green light exit his hands and flow into the kit. As the small fox's wound began to mend, Naruto felt something shift in his jutsu. Suddenly the lines of pale green were joined with a few tiny streamers of bright red and the blond felt his consciousness begin to slip backwards.

His last thought before his mind fell into unconsciousness, while the jutsu remained active, was, _'What the hell is going on?'_

_**~~~ XXXXX ~~~**_

Naruto jerked back into consciousness with a start, only he was no longer in the forest. Instead he was standing in knee-deep water in what appeared to be the gigantic hallway of some sort of abandoned building all lit by a creepy red glow that seemed to come from nowhere. The hallway itself was massive, stretching several dozen feet wide and the ceiling wasn't even visible in the dim glow that suffused the place. It took the blonde only a few seconds to recognize the place: his subconscious and the prison of the Kyūbi no Yōko.

"Great, I'm back here again." grumbled the blonde. "But the question is how did I get here?" The last time he'd 'fallen' into his mindscape was when he was first learning how to properly meditate from Theresa-bāchan. Recalling that incident, and the royal freakout that had followed his discovery of a certain over-sized demonic plushy, soured the blonde's already grim mood. "Guess my best bet will be going to have a talk with my roommate." growled the blonde as he slowly began walking toward the cage, the location still clear in his mind even after three years.

As he approached the massive iron gates, held closed by a single strip of sealing paper marked with the kanji for 'seal,' built into the wall in deepest darkest corner of his mindscape and apparently filled with nothing but darkness. As he approached two massive red eyes, each easily the same size as Naruto himself, snapped open, causing the blonde to stop dead in his tracks. Slowly fangs started appear beneath the eyes as the creature sealed within him began to smile.

"**So my jailor has finally come to visit me." **hissed the monstrous fox.

"Well, I'd say it's good to finally see you awake fox, but that'd be a lie." responded the blonde calmly as he stared at the monstrous creature. "How long have you been awake anyway?"

"**I awakened shortly after you first stumbled into my **_**humble home**_**." **the last two words were laced with venom and contempt, obviously the fox was not happy about being imprisoned.

"Well you better get used to it fuzzy." replied the blonde, in no mood to feel sympathy for the creature that nearly destroyed his home and was the reason for a great deal of his rather shitty childhood. "You're stuck here until the day I die or I decide to commit suicide by removing that seal and letting you out, and I have no intentions of doing either anytime soon."

The fox growled low in its throat, a sound so deep that it seemed to cause the surrounding walls to shudder from the vibrations. **"Watch your tongue you hairless ape!" **snarled the great beast**. "I may be sealed, but I am still a more ancient and powerful being than you can ever hope to imagine, and you WILL show me the respect I deserve!"**

"Respect is earned, not given fox, and you have done nothing to earn mine." responded Naruto hotly. He knew he should be careful, that the creature sitting in front of him had enough power to wipe him out in an instant, but he was not going to be intimidated by a caged furball.

The fox seemed to calm at that, before it fixed its attention on the blonde, its eyes staring on him with a look that mixed confusion with contemplation. After a moment the fox spoke once again. **"True enough jailor, but neither have you done anything to earn mine."** hissed the fox quietly

Naruto blinked, not expecting that kind of reaction. He'd expected violence and rage, not the surprising calm emanating from the creature in front of him. Shrugging his shoulders and shaking his head slightly to clear it he responded. "Fine. So why'd you bring me here in the first place?" questioned the blonde, trying to move on and get to the heart of the matter.

"**That kit, why did you help her?"** responded the fox, answering his question with one of his own.

"Because if I didn't she would have died." answered the blonde automatically, wondering what the fox was getting at.

The fox seemed to shrug its shoulders. "**So what? You have killed before, and they were of your own species. What importance is the life of a fox kit to you?"**

"That's not the point!" growled Naruto angrily. "Yes I've killed before, but never without a reason. What happened to that kit and her family wasn't right! No living being deserves to simply die for no reason, to be killed only for someone's entertainment!"

The fox merely stared at the blonde curiously, before it began to chuckle. **"I had not expected this, to find my jailor has such a respect for life is odd. Such things are not common among your species."**

"And what's that supposed to mean?" responded Naruto as he studied the fox.

"**I have existed for centuries little monkey."** answered the fox. "**I have seen exactly what your species is capable of, and how they act. Your kind is so very **_**prideful**_**."** the fox hissed the final word in distaste. **"They view the world as if it was theirs to do with as they wish, caring for nothing other than themselves and seeing all other creatures, even other members of their own species, as either tools to be used or insects to be crushed or ignored." **

"Not all humans are like that!" responded the blonde hotly. "I'll be the first to admit we've got a lot of jackasses in our species, but there are a lot of good people out there as well."

The fox continued to stare down at the blonde for a moment, before snorting. **"You are young jailor, and you have not seen what your kind is truly capable of yet. If you can hold onto those ideals when you see what your kind is truly capable of then I will be impressed, but that is a subject for another day. For now our subject is the kit. When you used that healing technique, you injected your own chakra into her body and, due to the seal, some of mine was mixed in with it. That is having…consequences."**

"What kind of consequences?" questioned Naruto nervously, hoping he hadn't inadvertently created a second Kyūbi. "Wait a minute," started the blonde as a thought suddenly hit him, "how did your chakra get mixed in with mine?"

"**As I said you stupid monkey."** growled the fox in an annoyed tone. **"It is because of the seal that binds me. A tiny droplet of my own chakra is constantly being drawn out, pulled into your own reserves and slowly purified. This is the reason for the size of your own reserves, my chakra is constantly being used to expand and enhance your own. That chakra, still only slightly purified, was drawn by the connection your jutsu crafted into the kit."**

"But why would it be drawn into her?" asked Naruto curiously, rubbing his chin in thought.

The fox seemed to shrug again, if the slight movement of its visible eyes and fangs was any indication. **"Of that, even I am unsure. I know little of your human techniques and even less about this seal that binds me, otherwise I would have used it to attempt to break free. My only guess is that because the kit is a fox, her chakra is more similar to mine than yours, and that drew my chakra into her."**

Naruto thought for a moment. "That makes some sense, but I'm not sure. I don't know a lot about fūinjutsu either, so I don't know anything about how the seal would or should work, but I'm sure the old man or bāchan would have some idea. I'll ask them about it when I get back. For now, what are these changes you were talking about?"

"**The kit was still very young and her chakra coils are still developing. What our chakra has done has seemingly awakened and enhanced those coils, allowing her to wield chakra. She is now, as your kind would call it, a **_**ninko **_(ninja fox)**, much like your former classmate's hound."** explained the fox.

"So she's like Akamaru then? I guess that isn't too bad, but what am I going to do with her." wondered the blonde aloud

"**She will remain by your side of course."** stated the fox as if it was obvious. When Naruto looked at it confusedly, the beast growled again. **"Think monkey! Our chakra is what caused her change and is aligned with the chakra that now courses through her system. That type of thing does not occur without consequences."**

"What kind of consequences?" Naruto questioned worriedly.

"**You are bound together little fool! Your chakra and hers are now linked! It is no different than the bond that exists between the hound I spoke of earlier and the human he is linked to. She will be able to draw on your chakra to grant her power, and in exchange she will protect and be loyal to you."** hissed the fox in annoyance.

"So, I've basically got my own animal partner, like Kiba and Akamaru?" confirmed Naruto. That was actually pretty cool. Granted, people weren't going to be happy when he got back home, and having a fox as a partner wasn't going to help disassociate him from the fox, but then again there was really little he could do on that front anyway. The whiskers on his face were enough of a reminder for most people, and he was too proud to ever try and hide them.

'_I suppose I should just follow Anko-sensei's advice; 'don't try and deny it, rub their faces into it.''_ Anko never hid her snakes, even if they showed her connection to Orochimaru, instead she showed them constantly, making a point that they were a part of who she was, and if people didn't like it they could fuck off. He supposed his link to foxes would likely be the same.

"**To put it bluntly yes. Now I tire of this prattle monkey, leave me to my rest."** with that final hiss and, with a burst of its own chakra against the barrier of its cage, the blonde quickly faded from view. As the blonde disappeared, the Kyūbi no Yōko began to stir in its cage, making itself as comfortable as it could.

This human, its newest host, was…different. He spoke and acted differently from the two females that had imprisoned him before, different from Senju who had bound him like a mere beast, different from Madara who had treated him like a mere tool for his ambitions. The fox couldn't describe it, but for some reason the blonde monkey reminded him much of the old sage. Why, even he couldn't say. Only time would tell if the boy would prove himself to be the same as the rest of his kind or if he was something new.

Time, it was one thing the immortal fox had in spades. He'd been waiting for a long time now, and could wait for a while longer.

_**~~~ XXXXX ~~~**_

Naruto groaned as he returned to consciousness yet again, massaging his head as he cursed the fox for throwing him out of his own head. Realizing he was sprawled backwards on the ground, the blonde also noticed that the sun had moved slightly, meaning he'd been out for close to a half-hour. Sitting up and shaking his head, he looked around and the first thing he noticed was the fox kit staring at him from a few feet away.

Naruto took the time to take a good look at the newly healed kit. She was still young, probably not fully grown yet, and reached just short of a foot high at her shoulders and was probably at least half again that long. Her fur was a bright, warm red with the slightest hint of black at the edges, with a long patch of white on her chest and covering the tips of her ears and feet. Naruto noticed that most of the wounds had vanished thanks to his technique, but the one over her eye had left a scar, marked by a long line of dark, near-black, red fur crossing diagonally over her right eye. She was currently sitting on her haunches, staring at him curiously with a pair of bright, sky blue eyes.

Instinctively, Naruto felt a draw on his chakra connecting him to the kit. Guessing it was the bond the fox spoke of, the blonde decided to try and communicate. "Hey little one, are you okay?"

The kit tilted its head to the side curiously before slowly approaching the blonde and sniffing him curiously. Slowly reaching out his hand, he allowed the kit to sniff it before slowly rubbing it on her forehead. The kit at first looked ready to bolt, before it relaxed and gave a slight purring sound of approval.

"Looks like we're stuck together little one." stated the blonde quietly. He knew a wild animal like the kit would usually have bolted or bit him by now, but the fox kit had obviously felt the connection between them as well. "Guess I'm gonna have to give you a name, can't be calling you kit all the time now can I?" questioned the blonde quietly as he thought for a moment. "How does the name…Asura sound to you?" he asked the kit.

The fox gave a small yip, as if agreeing to the name. Naruto chuckled. "Asura it is then." agreed the blonde as he gently scratched the fox's head. After a minute or two enjoying the treatment the kit suddenly leapt forward and approached the corpse of the adult fox, the kit's mother if Naruto were to guess, before nosing it, trying to get it to stir before turning her head to Naruto and yipping again.

Naruto sadly shook his head before approaching the corpse. "I'm sorry little one, but there's nothing I can do to help them." apologized the blonde softly, before clapping his hands together and offering a silent prayer for the dead. The kit seemed to realize what was wrong and began mewing softly. The blonde gently reached out and started stroking her fur, offering what comfort he could. After a while the kit fell asleep next to the corpse of its mother.

Gently moving the kit away from the corpse, the blonde slowly pulled a kunai and began using it as a spade to dig a few small holes into the ground. It took over an hour using only the small blade, but the blonde dug for fox-sized graves and gently buried the corpses. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you all, but I will do all I can to protect Asura." he promised silently as he offered a final prayer. The blonde didn't know why, but it felt like the right thing to do. Perhaps it was the bond he now shared with Asura, but he couldn't help but feel a great remorse for the death of the small fox family. The blonde made a silent promise that if he ever found the ones responsible they wouldn't live long enough to regret it.

Walking toward the kit again, the blonde realized how tired he'd become. The hour digging graves after meeting with the fox seemed to have tired him out more than he thought. Slowly sitting down next to Asura, the blonde leaned against a nearby tree and slept, letting the sound of the forest lull him into sleep.

_**~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~**_

_~~~~~~~~ JUTSU IDENTIFICATION ~~~~~~~_

**1) Ninpō: Kumonosu no Jutsu **(Ninja Art: Spiderweb Technique) – _C-ranked, supplementary ninjutsu_. The user channels chakra into a set of wires, strings, or similar object before launching them forward. The chakra charged through the wires allows the user to manipulate their movements, allowing them to string them along and form them into anything from an artistic web, to a wide-area screen. Most often used to lay down trap or signal wires around a perimeter or in preparation for other techniques.

**2)****Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu**(Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique): _C-ranked Katon, offensive/supplementary ninjutsu_. The user breathes fire along a cord or any other type of long object, which rushes forward in straight line catching the enemy on fire. A line of enemies can be used as the conductor as well. The flames are meant to target, and assault the enemy's upper body just like a projectile weapon. With enough chakra this technique can also be used to set the entire wire ablaze as either an attack or preparation for another technique

**3) ****Katon: Hibana Hana** (Fire Release: Fire Flower Blossoms): _C-ranked Katon, offensive ninjutsu_. The user channels a secondary burst of Katon chakra into an already existing flame, usually one created by one of their own techniques. This causes the flames to flare for a moment before exploding into a large number of small, inch-wide fireballs, the exact number based on the amount of chakra used in the technique and the size of the original flames. These miniature fireballs do relatively little damage on their own, but can deal surprising amounts in groups and instantly ignite anything flammable they come in contact with.

4) **Fūton: Kazetan** (Wind Release: Wind Edge) – _D-ranked Fūton, offensive chakra flow technique_. The most basic Fūton chakra flow exercise actively applied to combat; the user coats a bladed weapon with Fūton chakra, increasing its cutting power.

**5) ****Ijiton: Oshi Kyōsei** (Will Release: Force Push): _D-ranked offensive/supplementary Ijiton ninjutsu_. The most basic Ijiton technique, this technique creates a powerful blast of invisible, concusive energy which radiates out from the user's hands, sending those in its path sprawling. While not directly damaging this technique can cause harm by either slamming targets into nearby objects or throwing them off cliffs or into other dangers. It is also incredibly fast since it only requires one hand seal, Ram, before being released.

6) **Karuta Jutsu: Nitai **(Playing Card Technique: Two Pairs): _C-ranked offensive technique. _The user flows four cards, two of one rank and two of another. The chakra and combination of seals activates the cards in a unique way, turning all four into potent explosive that will detonate either on command¸ when all five come in contact with a solid surface, or after a certain interval.

7) **Ijiton: Jinsei Iyasu** (Will Release: Heal Life) – _C-ranked Ijiton supplementary ninjutsu_. The user channels Will chakra into another creature before willing it into life energy. This spell greatly accelerates a target's healing, allowing them to heal lethal wounds in minutes under this jutsu's constant exposure.

**_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_**

**_END CHAPTER 12_**

**_Once again I apologize for the long delay, but as I said before, my muse pulls me elsewhere, though I will attempt to update this story more often._**

**_As for the inclusion of Naruto's new friend, well in Fable II and III the hero has had a dog, I just thought a fox would be more appropriate, and it was a good way to introduce the Kyūbi in a less volatile way. I've read a lot of stories where Naruto's adopted a pet fox and the animal has been forgotten about except for the occasional appearance, which will not happen here. Naruto and Asura, his nin-kitsune, will develop a relationship similar to what Kiba and Akamaru share. _**

**_Until next time _**

**_READ AND REVIEW_**


	13. Rising Tides

Naruto: A Seer's Fable

REVIEW RESPONSE:

**gamelover41592**: Not for a bit, fortune-telling usually comes during down time or right before a major mission starts.

**Bloodwolf432**: I think its destruction, but it could be both; after all, what is more destructive then wrath?

**Sevenar**: Asura will grow, you'll see hints of how in this chapter, but permanent growth won't really appear 'til after the time skip.

**jonale . fm**: Asura is a companion, a familiar, like Akamaru is to Kiba. So no, no foxy in harem.

**Ryu no Kitsune**: As I said before, Asura will get bigger. As for weapon quality, I think that's more maintenance and style rather than material, though I suppose quality of steel is a factor.

**omally-dood**: Haku comes in this chapter. And I got the idea from Inuyasha (which I don't own) as well.

**Orez Lanrete**: Yeah but those are really advanced techniques, easily A- or S-rank, so Naruto's not going to have access to them for a long time and with what some of the ninja we've seen in the war are capable of, and will likely soon see with the Four Hokages making an appearance, I don't think its anywhere near that overpowered.

**ArtanisRose**: If Naruto gets a gun, a pistol would definitely be the better weapon yes, but like I said firearms are not common among ninja, they're more soldier weaponry. I've got ideas for spell merging as well, but that won't be coming for a while. Vortex will be Will Release, but Ijiton touches on all five main elements: Fireball (Fire) Shock (Lightning), and I'm planning on adding my own to touch Earth and Water as well. Snow's femHaku, Hierophant is Shizune, and Monteback is Yakumo.

**Ragnarok Warrior**: Naruto was just as old as Inari when he had to go through stuff, sometime the only way to get someone to shape up is a sharp kick in the ass. As I said later, he did feel bad about it, but it was a sore subject. As for Anko taking the 'Naruto's life' thing to far, well you got to remember her life hasn't been all sunshine and daisies either, though she was on a bit of a hair trigger as well.

_Guest_: He's a teenage boy meeting an incredibly powerful, incredibly ancient being of mass destruction. How is he not going to come out sounding like a bit of an idiot?

**ElementalMaster16**: It's all about degrees. The Hierophant is good for large single wounds, but is less effective against more numerous smaller wounds. Heal Life is better for those, but takes a lot of time and chakra to heal the big stuff.

_Guest_: I've read the Balverine Order and it gave me some inspiration for a future mission, haven't read either of the latter two though.

**Zane Tribal Tyne Alexandros**: Would he even believe that she was some kind of immortal specter if he ever told her. That's kind of crazy even for the Naruto-verse, just look at how hard it was for them to believe Madara was still alive, even though he actually wasn't, and Theresa' a thousand times older than him.

**DevilHeart435**: According to the Naruto wiki six of the Nanabi's tails resemble insect wings, with the seventh taking the form of a tail.

_To everyone else that reviewed I thank you for your time and support._

"Human Speech"

'_Human Thought'_

**"Demon/Summons Speech"**

**'_Demon/Summons Thought'_**

**Jutsu **or _Card_

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Fable, or anything other than my own original ideas for this story

**_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_**

**Chapter 13: Rising Tides**

_(Next Morning, Wave Forest)_

Haku was deep in thought as she walked through the woods, gathering herbs to help speed up her master's recovery. At first she'd thought that, even after their initial attack failed, this mission would end well. Kakashi Hatake had been severely injured in his battle against Zabuza-sama; in such a way that it would be impossible for him to recover before her master was fully healed and ready for battle. That left only the three genin, who she was quite sure she could handle herself without too much difficulty. That meant that, once Zabuza was completely recovered, they could end this mission quickly without any unnecessary bloodshed.

At least that was what she had thought.

Now Gatō was complaining about attacks on his enterprises in Wave. While Zabuza couldn't care less about Gatō's losses, as long as the man could still pay him, he had sent out Haku to investigate in case the attacks were a threat to them. What she had found were the remnants of precision strikes, designed to damage Gatō's interests, kill and terrify his men, and steal, for the first three cases, or destroy, in the last case, the would-be tyrant's property and assets. The attacks were clean, precise, and well-planned.

They were also obviously shinobi work.

It could have been the work of the three genin, the Uchiha boy had shown a talent for Katon techniques which were used in the last case to destroy the warehouse and herd the mercenaries standing guard outside where they were cut down, but the attacks showed to much skill to be the work of a team of Genin, even with a bed-ridden jounin giving the orders. That meant one of two things. Either a third party had been hired to attack Gatō's interests, a possible if not probable conclusion given the number of enemies the sleazy mobster had made over the years; or the Konoha team had managed to call in backup, the more likely and dangerous concern. While she and Zabuza had worked to place an impressive barrier, well impressive for them since neither shinobi were well-versed in fūinjutsu or _kekkai_ (barrier) jutsu, around the island, preventing some of the more common methods of shinobi communication, if Kakashi's team had sent the request after they were attacked by the Demon Brothers, before they'd arrived on the island, then it was entirely possible they could have received some form of reinforcements.

Reinforcements that were currently attacking her master's employer in order to keep attention away from the bridge builder.

The major problem, and cause of Haku's worries, was the fact that these new opponents were complete unknowns. It could be anything from another genin team, a possibly dangerous but not insurmountable threat, or it could be an entire squad of jounin. She and her master could very easily be walking into a trap with more opponents than they could handle on their own.

Unless they could find some hard evidence on their new opponents' strength their best option would be to break their contract and withdraw. That was unlikely to happen. Zabuza-sama placed a great deal of weight on his word and would never willingly break a contract unless forced. Not to mention they sorely needed the money this job would provide.

So Zabuza had sent her to observe the bridge sight in hopes of gathering more information. While there she had caught sight of a new figure standing guard over the bridge-builder. A quick check through their copy of the Bingo Book had confirmed her as one Anko Mitarashi, aka '_Konoha no Hebi Tsukai'_ (The Snake Charmer of Konoha) or '_Seishinbyō no Hebimesu'_ (The Psychotic Snake Bitch). An upper B- lower A-ranked tokubetsu jounin of Konoha who also happened to be a known sadist and combat, assassination, and interrogation expert. While she might not be able to match Kakashi Hatake in a straight fight, she was far from someone to be underestimated. Now the only question was: was she alone the backup or had she brought others?

Even in the depths of her musings the dark-haired kunoichi was still on high alert, a lesson her master had taught her well. She suddenly tensed as she felt herself entering something, immediately leaping backward and away from the source of this feeling, her attention now completely riveted on what had caused her unease. When the feeling faded seconds after her leap, she recognized it for what it was: a sensor's _**Kenchitai **_(Detection Field) (1). Zabuza was a stealth and assassination specialist and had been trained to detect the invisible chakra fields that sensors released in order to use their abilities, training he'd passed down to her as his apprentice.

Haku frowned, none of the shinobi she'd seen with the bridge-builder when they first arrived were sensors, and neither was Mitarashi Anko, at least not according to her Bingo Book entry. That meant that there was definitely another new shinobi in Wave, probably a member of Mitarashi's team. Deciding to scout this out in hopes of gathering some information on their new foes, Haku took in a deep breath before forming her hands into a single Snake seal. "**Muon Satsujin: Chakura Yokusei no Jutsu**! (Soundless Murder: Chakra Suppression Technique) (2)." hissed the young kunoichi.

Zabuza Momochi was an undisputable master of the _Muon Satsujin Jutsu_ (Soundless Murder Technique) assassination style and, as his apprentice; Haku had been vigorously instructed in the art's many secrets. She shivered slightly as she felt her chakra begin to recede, coiling back up into her coils and causing a dull pressure to ache in her chest. It was an unpleasant feeling to say the least, like suddenly having the breath sucked out of her lungs and being dunked into ice water while being punched in the chest, but it showed the jutsu had worked. Steadying her breathing, Haku slowly reentered the _kenchitai_ and began to search for its source.

She began by slowly tracing out the outer edge of the kenchitai, using it to find the direction of the center, where the sensor who would likely be found. Haku quickly noticed that the edge was stable and unmoving, meaning the sensor was likely either asleep, meditating, or simply resting, any of which could affect her approach. Sticking close to the shadows, Haku made her way deeper into the field, taking mental record of how far she'd traveled from the edge in order to get an estimate of the sensors range. Coming to a stop in the shadow of a tree, Haku caught sight of what had to be the sensor.

It was a boy, probably no older than her or maybe a little younger, leaning against a tree and apparently fast asleep. He was dressed in a black kimono top tied with a dark red sash, with loose shinobi pants and a cloak that perfectly matched the sash in shade. The hood of the cloak was up; shielding the top of his head, but Haku could just make out a few locks of golden blonde hair beneath the cowl's shadow. In his lap rested a bright red, fuzzy ball of some kind.

As she studied the boy, Haku weighed her options. She could attack, a few well-placed senbon could easily prevent the boy from waking up and she doubted he'd be able to dodge or deflect them from this distance even if he was actually awake or somehow sensed the attack coming. But what then? She could probably take him back to the base, and let Zabuza-sama interrogate him in order to find out about the new shinobi that had appeared. After that Zabuza would likely either try to ransom him off for the bridge-builder…or simply kill him, the latter being the far likelier scenario. She didn't like the idea of having someone else's blood on her hands if she could prevent it, particularly when there was a chance that he wasn't even involved in what was happening. Granted it was a small chance, but still a possible one.

No, it would be better to approach him and gather as much information as possible. If he was with the shinobi that had come to back up Hatake's team then she might be able to gleam some information about the threat they posed and how many others there were. If he wasn't involved then Haku saw no reason not to leave him be.

Nodding to herself, Haku slowly let her jutsu slip enough that she'd appear as a civilian to the sensor's kenchitai, her eyes locked on the sleeping blonde and searching for the tiniest indicator that he was awake and had noticed her chakra appear so close to him. Luckily, the boy continued to dream, her chakra reasserting itself slowly enough not to jar the boy from his slumber. Straightening her kimono and adjusting the basket of herbs she'd already gathered, Haku slowly made her way toward the sleeping shinobi.

She came to a stop just short of where the boy was sleeping and slowly reached out her hand to shake him awake, only to stop and pull back rapidly as the red ball in his lap suddenly moved. Unfurling itself, the ball revealed itself to be a fox kit, apparently curled up and sleeping in the blonde's lap. Looking up at Haku with a pair of bright, sky-blue eyes, the fox kit seemed to study her for a moment before yipping loudly, awakening her companion.

"What's the matter Asura?" grumbled the blonde as he seemed to awaken himself, only for his head to quickly turn and face directly toward Haku, most likely having noticed her presence in his kenchitai, and giving the ice-user her first real look at the other teen's face. His face was cute, handsome in a boyish way, with dark, cerulean blue eyes that seemed to compliment the light, sky-blue one of his animal companion. She also noticed the three whisker-like markings that adorned both of his cheeks giving the impression of a fox's whiskers. Haku vaguely wondered if they were clan markings of some kind. She'd heard of the Inuzuka clan of Konoha and their ninken companions, but she'd never heard of a clan that worked with foxes before.

Naruto had come awake with a slight shock from hearing Asura yipping right next to him. He'd been vaguely surprised to find her in his lap, having apparently crawled in there to sleep sometime after he had fallen asleep himself, before his attention turned to a chakra source that was mere feet away from him. It felt like a civilian-level chakra, though there was something off about it that Naruto couldn't put his finger on. The source appeared to be a young woman maybe a year older than Naruto himself. She was dressed in a pink, sleeveless, low-cut kimono that went down to her ankles, decorated with small plum-colored swirls and pale red edges, along with a dark brown choker around her neck, a simple white obi tied in a bow securing her kimono, and a pair of light brown sandals with dark straps. Naruto couldn't help but notice that she was quite attractive, with fair, pale skin, large dark brown eyes, and dark black hair worn down her back and framed her narrow, but pretty, face.

Haku smiled at the boy, trying to appear as harmless and inoffensive as possible. "You know you shouldn't sleep outside. You could end up catching a cold." she warned him, her voice was slightly husky but quite soft.

Naruto slowly pushed himself to his feet, allowing Asura to hop off his lap as he did so, before stretching. "I wouldn't worry about that. I was born with a strong constitution, so it'll take more than sleeping outside for a night to get me sick." answered Naruto as he popped his back.

While the blonde talked and stretched, Asura slowly approached the new human, sniffing her curiously. Haku noticed this and smiled down at the small creature. Realizing it had been noticed, the fox kit quickly scurried backward and stood behind Naruto's legs, eyes still warily locked on the disguised kunoichi.

"It's strange to see a fox so comfortable around a person. Is it your pet?" questioned Haku curiously.

"Kinda." answered Naruto with a brief shrug; he didn't know what to classify Asura as just yet. "Her name's Asura by the way and mine's Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto."

"My name is Haku. It is a pleasure to meet you Naruto-san, Asura-chan." returned Haku with a soft smile and a short bow. "If you don't mind me asking Naruto-san, why were you sleeping in the middle of the woods?"

Naruto thought for a moment before answering. "I went for a walk last night to burn off some steam and I ended up staying out longer than I should have. I decided to sleep under the stars rather than go back to the place I'm staying." That and he didn't want to explain to Anko-sensei and Kakashi-sensei how he'd suddenly acquired a fox kit as a familiar. Something told him that was not a conversation to have in the middle of the night. "What about you Haku-san, what are you doing out in the woods so early in the morning?" the sun appeared to be just starting to fully rise, meaning it was probably no more than six.

"I was gathering herbs." answered Haku, holding up a small basket filled with a variety of medicinal herbs.

"Herbs?" responded Naruto curiously. One of his hobbies was gardening, and Theresa-bāsan had taught him a lot about herbal medicine. Taking a closer look at the basket the blonde noticed that most of them helped with recovery from exhaustion and bone or muscle damage.

"Yes." agreed Haku. "My father was injured while working a short time ago, so I've been gathering herbs to help heal his injuries and help him recover." she explained. She'd seen the way he'd scanned the herbs and didn't want to risk him having enough knowledge of herbal medicine to find out a lie, so instead she had gone for a half-truth.

"Sorry to hear about that. Would you like some help? I know a thing or two about herbs myself." offered Naruto with a small smile.

"I would appreciate that." agreed Haku with a smile of her own, believing that it would be a perfect opportunity to mine for information.

**_~~~ XXXXX ~~~_**

Time passed quickly as the two teens, and one fox, chatted and gathered herbs. Naruto spoke of his homeland, the Land of Fire, and of the forests that surrounded his home village. Haku spoke of her travels, claiming to be the daughter of a traveling merchant who had the bad fortune of being caught in Wave when Gatō had locked the country down and was now forced to work as a laborer to make ends meet.

"You sure seem to like starting early, don't you Haku-chan?" asked Naruto as he absently broke the stalk of another medical herb, being careful not to damage the leaves that held the medicine. Nearby, Asura had curled herself up in a ball again to continue her nap, ignoring the two humans as they talked.

"I enjoy the early hours, they are…peaceful I suppose." answered Haku demurely as she looked around, taking in the quiet beauty of the forest morning, the sun just starting to fully rise into the sky and filling the trees with a gentle light.

Even Naruto would admit that it was a beautiful sight, even though he'd come to hate sunrises. He much preferred sunsets.

"Naruto-san, you're a ninja correct?" she asked hesitantly, as if nervous about breaching the subject.

"How'd you know?" asked Naruto curiously, giving his pretty companion an appraising look. Something about her still didn't feel right. Her story made sense, her chakra seemed to be small enough to be nothing more than a civilian, and she'd shown no signs of shinobi training; but there was still something off about her. Naruto guessed it was the strange feel of her chakra. Being around her for the past few hours had allowed him to finally categorize and describe the off feeling her chakra gave off. While most chakras felt like a piece of thread brushing against his brain, hers felt like the threads were made of snow, cold and soft. He wondered what was causing it.

"Your headband." she answered hesitantly, gesturing toward his forehead. Naruto had pulled back his cowl after they'd started working, revealing the forehead protector that was secured against his brow by a dark red cloth. "I've seen them before while traveling with my father. Only ninja are supposed to wear them, right?"

"Yeah that's right." agreed Naruto with a nod as he absently adjusted his hitai-ate. "The hitai-ate is a symbol of a ninja's bond and loyalty to his village, we don't remove it unless strictly necessary."

"I see." stated Haku with a small nod. "What village do you come from? I've never seen that insignia before."

"I'm from _Konohagakure no Sato,_ (The Village Hidden Among the Leaves) one of the strongest villages in the world." answered the blonde with a small amount of pride. He was proud of where he'd come from, and felt no shame in proving it. If there was something more to this girl, then she'd already know what village it represented so it wasn't like he was giving away any important information.

"Isn't it dangerous?" asked Haku curiously. When he gave her a confused look, she explained. "Being a ninja I mean. I've always heard that a shinobi's life is fraught with danger and perils."

"I suppose it's pretty dangerous," answered Naruto with a shrug, "but then again life is full of danger no matter what path you choose. As a shinobi, I at least have the option of growing stronger so I can face those challenges head on, rather than try to avoid them like most do."

"But why do so?" countered Haku, "Facing down dangers like that, wouldn't it be simpler to live a quiet life?"

"Simpler maybe, but that would also mean giving up on my dreams, and that's something I'll never do." countered Naruto as a determined glint entered his eye. "Instead I'll train and get stronger, and then I'll be able to accomplish my dreams no matter what gets in my way."

Haku blinked slightly at the passion in the blonde's words, wondering where that fire came from. "And why are these dreams so important to you?" she questioned him curiously.

Naruto blinked before sitting back, rubbing his chin in thought. Asura unfurled herself from her spot nearby and easily hoped into the blonde's lap. Absently, Naruto raised his free hand and began scratching the fox kit's head behind her ears, getting a pleased purr in response. "I suppose it goes back to when I was a kid. I'm an orphan you see, my folks died before I even got a chance to meet them, and I was alone a lot growing up. A lot of people thought I'd never be able to accomplish anything, but I was determined to prove them wrong. I'd become the Hokage, that's our village's leader and strongest shinobi, and show them just what I was capable of. After a while it became something more than trying to prove people wrong about me, it became an ambition unto itself, something I desired for what it meant, rather than simply proving that I could."

"I'm sorry to hear that. My own parents died when I was young as well, and I lived that way for a long time before my father took me in." stated Haku empathetically, offering the boy a small, understanding smile. They were silent for a few moments before Haku spoke up again. "I know this is an odd question Naruto-san, but do you have anyone who is precious to you?"

"Precious?" questioned Naruto as he gave the girl a curious look; wondering just what she meant by the term.

"Someone you're willing to do anything to protect, even if it meant giving up your life or your dreams." explained Haku, a small smile gracing her lips. "I've always believed that if someone has someone precious to them, someone they genuinely want to protect at all costs, they will become truly strong."

A small grin crossed Naruto's lips. That reminded him of the old man's Will of Fire. "A true Konoha shinobi must love, believe, cherish and fight for the village's sake, as previous generations had done before them. Only then will they understand and unlock what it means to be strong." It was one of the old sayings the old man had repeated often in his youth, when Naruto was first aspiring to be a shinobi and take the hat.

"That is a very wise philosophy Haku-san." stated Naruto with a small grin as his mind turned to the friends he'd made in Konoha, of Hokage-jīsan, Theresa-bāchan, Iruka-sensei, Konohamaru, and Anko-sensei. "And yes, I do have people that I consider precious." he finished as his grin broadened into a true smile.

Haku smiled back as she gathered up her basket and stood. "You will become very strong Naruto-san, of that I am quite sure." she stated confidently as she began to walk away. "We'll meet again someday, of that I am also certain."

As the dark-haired kunoichi-in-disguise continued to walk away, she suddenly stopped and turned to look at him over her shoulder. "Oh, by the way; I'm a boy." she finished flatly.

Naruto grinned. "You're lying." he returned confidently as he stood up, Asura hoping off his lap to once again stand near his legs

"Oh?" she seemed curious as she turned to face him fully again. "And how are you so sure."

"I've got a gift, called sensing. I can feel others chakra and there is a very clear difference between a guy's chakra and a girl's, and yours is most definitely feminine." answered Naruto flatly.

"I see." answered Haku, sounding more than a little surprised, which she honestly was. She wasn't aware that sensors could differentiate gender based on chakra alone. "I'm sorry for lying but a girl must protect herself, particularly in times like these." she apologized before turning and walking away again.

"True enough." stated Naruto with a sage nod. As he watched her walk away, he turned his attention back to Asura. "I suppose we should be heading back as well Asura, and I'd better be ready to explain where you came from to sensei. With it involving big and fuzzy I just know it's going to be a pain in the ass."

Asura merely yipped at him before climbing up to curl around his shoulders.

_~~~ XXXXX ~~~_

_(Zabuza's Hideout, a short time later)_

As Haku walked through the doors to her master's room, she found her master and mentor, the infamous _Kirigakure no Kijin_ (Demon of the Hidden Mists) Zabuza Momochi, moving through a series of stretches and routines while wielding his massive sword, the _Kubikiribōchō_ (Decapitating Carving Knife).

"You're recovering even faster than I thought Zabuza-sama." stated Haku calmly as she placed her herb basket down on a small end table.

"You're back." stated Zabuza coolly, not even stopping in his practice to look at his most faithful subordinate. "Have you found out anything interesting about this new obstacle in our job?"

"Yes, it appears that there are only two of them: Anko Mitarashi, who seems to have earned a promotion to jounin rank since the last bingo book was posted, and her apprentice." answered Haku.

"Hm, so the snake-girl got a promotion, that means she's either gotten better or managed to pull some political strings." stated Zabuza thoughtfully. "What about this student of hers. You sure it's only an apprentice and not a full pack of brats?"

"Quite. I managed to speak with him while disguising myself as a civilian." answered Haku with a calm professionalism. "He made casual mention of a teacher, but nothing of teammates, leading me to believe that he's her only student, thus an apprenticeship is the most likely answer."

"Hmm, apprentices are usually a higher grade than regular students, but a brat's a brat. What do you know about him?" questioned Zabuza

"He's a sensor with a range of about 500 ft. in a roughly solid circular area. He was able to determine my gender despite disguising myself, and constantly seemed to study me, like he felt something was off. I used the **Chakura Yokusei no Jutsu** (Chaakra Suppression Technique) to approach him as a civilian, but he was still cautious when we spoke." answered Haku. "He also had a fox kit with him, though I'm unsure if it was a familiar or simply a pet. Other than that; nothing. I was unable to investigate further without risking revealing myself."

Zabuza seemed to think for a moment. "Sensors are a pain, but rookies can be dealt with quickly enough. One new brat and a newly minted jounin won't make a difference if we attack before Hatake's fully healed." stated the nuke-nin in thought before he finished his practice and turned to his apprentice. "Get ready Haku, we attack tomorrow."

"As you command, Zabuza-sama." agreed Haku solemnly with a bow, before she turned and left the room to prepare herself.

'_It seems we will be meeting again sooner than I thought Naruto-san.'_ she thought to herself as she left, a grim frown forming on her lips.

_**~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~**_

_(Next Morning, Tazuna's Home)_

"What are you doing?" asked Sakura as she walked into the room where her teacher was recovering. Naruto's card had healed most of the physical damage, but the man's chakra levels were still ridiculously low. It would take another week of mostly bed rest and light work before he was back up to fighting strength. Still, it was better than it could have been. Due to the wound Zabuza had given him, Kakashi's body had been mostly working to keep itself from shutting down while working to fix his wound, slowing down the speed of his chakra recovery significantly. Without Naruto's healing technique it would have been at least another month before Kakashi was back to fighting fit.

But Sakura's question wasn't aimed at her sensei, who was sleeping quietly in the bed. Rather it was aimed at the blonde-haired boy who was sitting in a lotus position by the window. His eyes were closed and his hands were folded in his lap, loosely forming some form of handseal, one hand resting in the palm of the other, both face up, with the thumbs touching. Asura was sitting by his side, eyes closed and apparently napping. The little fox was quite the lazy creature, spending a good deal of its free time napping.

The little animal had caused quite a stir when Naruto had arrived with her yesterday morning. Naruto had quickly taken Anko up to Kakashi's room to discuss what had happened in the woods in private. Naturally, both jounin were more than a little cautious when they found out the little fox's origins, and that it was caused by the small creature drawing in some of the Kyūbi's chakra mixed with Naruto's. Naruto had stated that Asura's chakra, which had been growing steadily since that night and hadn't stopped yet, didn't feel the least bit like Kyūbi's. In fact it felt very similar to Naruto's own.

Eventually both jounin had decided that it was out of their expertise, neither knowing enough about the seal, the nature of Kyūbi's chakra, or the type of changes a familiar bond could cause in either Naruto or the fox. They'd decided that they'd keep a close eye on Asura until they got back to Konoha, where the Hokage would be able to have an expert look at both her and Naruto's seal.

The remaining genin had simply been told that Asura was a stray fox that Naruto had adopted.

Naruto merely opened one eye, giving the pink-haired kunoichi a brief look. She barely managed to note that it was glowing softly before he closed it again. "My job." he answered coolly.

Sakura frowned at him. "I thought Anko-sensei assigned you to watch the perimeter while I kept an eye on Kakashi-sensei and the house?" she shot back.

"That's what I'm doing." answered Naruto. Before Sakura could respond, he continued. "I'm a sensor Haruno-san, which means I can feel the chakra presences of living things whenever they're within a certain radius surrounding me. Normally I'm only able to extend it out to about 500 meters, but with the **Kanjutsu: Senrigan** (Perception Technique: Clairvoyance) (3) I'm using now I can expand it to approximately ten times that. However, I can't move freely while using this jutsu, so I'm simply staying here since it gives me the best chance of detecting anyone entering the house's perimeter."

"Oh." stated Sakura evenly, before she turned her attention back to checking on her sensei. The two continued to work in silence for several more minutes before Naruto suddenly stiffened and stood up. Asura was instantly awake and aware; moving to her human's side immediately.

"Two presences just entered my kenchitai. They're heading straight for the house." stated the blonde quickly.

"Could it be the others, maybe they need to tell us something or maybe Tazuna-san forgot something here and one of them is escorting him back to pick it up?" offered Sakura hopefully. The others had left less than an hour ago, it was entirely possible that one had either forgotten something or needed to pass a message.

Naruto quickly shook his head. "Not possible. I've memorized the chakra signature of everyone who comes to this house regularly. These two don't match anyone we've met before. Worse their chakra's been trained, meaning they know how to fight. My bet is they're mercenaries of some kind, and Gatō sent them here." answered the blonde gravely.

Sakura gulped. This would be the first time she entered combat without her teammates to back her up.

"Get Inari and Tsunami and have them both come up here while you stand guard downstairs." instructed Naruto as he headed toward the window. "I'm going to intercept them before they get too close to the house. While trained, their chakras are still quite weak, so chances are good that they're not too dangerous. Still best to be cautious."

Sakura frowned but before she could argue, another voice sounded. "It's a good plan Sakura." stated Kakashi as he sat up in bed.

"But sensei…" started Sakura, only for Kakashi to cut her off.

"Out of the three of us, Naruto is the most ready to fight at the moment. I'm still too weak to fight anything right now and you don't have any real combat experience working on your own. Naruto is not only at full health, but he has more combat experience. Letting him scout out the enemies while we focus on protecting the civilians is our best option." explained Kakashi before he turned his attention to Naruto. "Be careful Naruto, even if they don't have high chakra reserves, they could still be dangerous."

Naruto nodded as Asura hopped onto his shoulders, wrapping around his neck like a fur stole. "I will Kakashi-san. I'll send Asura back when we're done and then head toward the bridge to check on sensei. I've got a bad feeling about this." he stated with a slight frown, before leaping out the window.

_ ~~~ XXXXX ~~~ _

_(Forest Surrounding Tazuna's Home, Several Minutes Later)_

"Hey Zōri, you sure this is the right way to the bridge-builder's house."

"Of course I am Waraji, the 'informant' we caught the other day was very explicit."

The two speakers were a pair of men. The one named Zōri was an average-built, light-skinned man with bluish-white hair with lined markings tattooed under his black eyes. He wore a dark purple beanie-like hat on this head, the top of which extended far beyond the top of his head, a blue jacket covered with a large number of pockets, and black pants with a blue handled katana tied at his waist.

The other one, Waraji was a large, thickly muscled man with dark, tanned skin and dark brown hair parted into three different knots, two smaller knots on each side of his head and an elaborate topknot over his crown. He was dressed in a light purple, loose-fitting kimono, with the top half of the outfit undone and allowed to fall around his waist leaving his upper body exposed. He also had bandages wrapped around his exposed waist, simple sandals, and carried a slightly longer than average katana with a bandaged hilt with a red sash holding it in place. He had several scars across his face and exposed upper body while most of his unscarred body was covered in an intricate tattoo and wore an elaborate, three band eye-patch over his right eye.

"You sure he was telling the truth? Some people will say anything to make the pain stop." questioned Waraji with a slight frown.

"Don't doubt my expertise old friend." responded Zōri with a smug grin. "I've been doing this long to know when someone's trying to feed me a line just to escape."

Waraji shrugged. "If you say so, I just hope we get to cut someone up. My blade is just begging for some blood." he finished with a sick grin as he patted the hilt of his sword.

"Already? You just killed a boar a few hours ago, and what about those foxes last night?" asked a seemingly exasperated Zōri.

"Animal blood's nowhere near as good as human blood." answered Waraji as if it was the most simple thing in the world.

Meanwhile, amidst the branches of a nearby tree, Naruto frowned. It seemed he was correct; these were definitely Gatō's mercenaries. Before he could decide whether to attack now or move ahead and set traps to test and/or weaken them, a soft growling caught his attention. Turning, he found Asura crouched down next to him, growling loudly and snarling toward the larger mercenary, her sky-blue eyes glowing bright blue as she stared at the man. Following her eyes Naruto caught sight of the red sash wrapped around his waist. _'No, not a sash…a pelt.'_ thought Naruto in alarm and realization.

This was the guy who'd killed Asura's family and the bastard was likely wearing Asura's father like a trophy.

Before Naruto could move a snarling Asura leapt from the tree. Her leap, instinctively enhanced by her newfound chakra, brought her directly into the large man face, biting and clawing as she landed.

"What the…get off me!" shouted the shocked ronin-mercenary in pain, before he raised his hand and knocked the fox kit off his face.

Asura rolled in midair; landing on her feet and crouching down to growl and snarl at the large man.

"What the hell is with that fox, it came out of fucking nowhere!?" shouted Zōri as he reached for his sword, only for Waraji to place his arm out in front of him. Looking toward his long-time partner, Zōri quickly noted the large number of scratches marring the man's already heavily scarred face. The central strap of his eyepatch had ripped and it looked like a bit of one of his ears had been bitten off as well.

"This bitch is mine." growled the large merc as he started walking forward, a scowl evident as he glared at the fox kit. He noticed the scar over its eyes and his scowl morphed into a sick grin. "I recognize you now. You're one of those brat pups from the other night. Heh, I thought I'd killed the lot of you, guess I didn't do as much damage as I'd thought. Well at least now you'll get to reunite with your daddy." he finished as he absently patted the fox pelt he was using as a sash.

Asura's growling grew even louder as her eyes were suddenly aglow with a bright blue-white light.

Watching and readying himself to intercept, Naruto suddenly felt a pull on his chakra. Almost on instinct his hands formed a dog seal and he sent a large surge of chakra through the link that connected him to Asura. If later asked why he'd done so, Naruto could never give a straight answer, only that he somehow _knew_ he needed to do it.

As the chakra surged into her, Asura was engulfed in a swirling nimbus of pale blue flames.

"What the hell!?" snarled Waraji as he stepped back.

The nimbus grew larger and larger before exploding outward, revealing Asura in a brand new form. The formerly small fox kit now stood at least two feet tall at her shoulders at least half-again that in length. Her formerly warm red fur had brightened to a more fiery tone, the black edging was replaced with a dark crimson red, and her white patches now held a small hint of pale blue mixed with the white. Her eyes were glowing a bright, iridescent blue and Naruto vaguely noted her paws now sported sharp claws. The newly grown fox kit, now the size of a wolf, opened its mouth and let out a snarling hiss at the shocked mercenary, revealing twin rows of much larger and sharper teeth. However what grabbed Naruto's attention the most was her tail, it had apparently split during the transformation, revealing two large and flowing fox tails emerging from her tail bone.

"What…What the fuck are you." snarled the ronin as he reached for his sword, preparing to draw and attack the transformed vulpine.

However, before he could fully grasp the hilt, Asura had already leapt at him again, moving far faster than should be possible. She pounced onto the large man, her body barreling into his before she bit deeply into his shoulder with her newly enhanced teeth.

The swordsman screamed in mixed pain and panic as he tried to pry the beast off of him while also stumbling in an attempt to stay on his feet, only for the vixen's claws to rake against his chest as she pushed herself off. She landed in a low crouch several feet away, her attention still locked on the mercenary as she continued to growl.

Waraji stumbled back a few more steps before finally regaining his balance, one arm gripping his heavily bleeding shoulder while the other moved to cover the some of the dozen new gouges that ran down his chest. He was staring at the fox, his eyes wide in fear. "Wh-What kind of demon are you?" he whispered in fear as he stared at the monster in front of him. He hadn't signed up for this. He was supposed to be facing a bunch of idiot hicks, not some kind of demonic fox out for revenge.

"Back off bitch!" shouted Zōri as he charged forward from behind Asura, trying to kill the demon-beast before it could finish his partner and start on him.

"You're being quite rude." Naruto's voice came from behind him while he was still moving.

The sound of a voice coming from right behind him caused Zōri to stumble to a stop, only for a long, narrow blade to suddenly erupt out of the center of his chest before he could come to a complete halt. Eyes widening, the man looked down at the blade emerging from where his heart should be. The man opened his mouth, trying to say something, but only a weak cough filled with blood and phlegm managed to escape his lips.

"Don't you know how rude it is to attack someone from behind." continued Naruto, before a smirk appeared on his face as he pulled out his blade. "Unless you're a ninja anyway, then it's simply business as usual." he finished calmly to the corpse.

'_I think I'm spending a little too much time with sensei. That sounded like something she'd say.' _thought a slightly disturbed Naruto as he resheathed his _shikomizue_ (sword cane) back into his staff before resealing both.

"Z-Z-Zōri!" shouted a shocked Waraji, his attention momentarily distracted from the monster in front of him as he watched his partner die.

It was a distraction that would cost him dearly.

Pouncing forward in a blur, Asura's teeth clenched down on the ronin's exposed neck, causing blood to gush and spray as the vixen ripped through several major arteries as she sought to crush the man's windpipe. Waraji fought and struggled weakly for a few moments before his body became still.

Letting the dead man's neck drop out of her mouth; Asura's attention turned to her human. Approaching slowly with her head down, she let out a low whine.

Reaching out, he gently scratched the now larger fox's ears. "I know girl, I understand. You had to avenge your family." It was kinda weird how easily he could understand the little, or formerly little, fox's sounds and movement, but Anko said that it was part of what being bonded meant. She and Kakashi had both worked with Inuzukas in the past and they'd seem to understand their canine companions every movement and utterance like it was a normal conversation. Naruto had seen it himself with Kiba and Akamaru in the Academy. Ever since the day Kiba showed up with his partner the two would converse, Kiba seemingly understanding the barks and growls of his companion from day one.

Asura let out a happy yip, seemingly glad to be forgiven by her human.

Naruto smiled. "Though I do wonder how we're going to explain your little transformation trick to Anko-sensei and Hokage-ojīsan." Reaching out with his mind and other senses, Naruto quickly found the link connecting his and Asura's chakra. Noticing it was larger and thicker than before, the blonde slowly started to draw back some of his chakra, draining it back to its original size. The effects were obvious and immediate. Asura's form shimmered slightly before she exploded in a puff of smoke. When it cleared, the fox kit was revealed, fully reverted back to her normal size.

"Well that takes care of one problem I suppose." stated Naruto with a small grin. Asura eagerly hopped up onto his shoulder and began rubbing her muzzle affectionately against Naruto's whisker-marked cheek, purring happily. "Yeah, yeah. You're an adorable fluff ball again; an adorable fluff ball that can apparently transform into an awesome battle animal. We're going to have to look into that when we get back to Konoha." smirked Naruto as he scratched the fox's ears again.

Picking up Zōri's corpse by the hood of his jacket, Naruto dragged the corpse and dropped it on top of his partner's rapidly cooling body before beginning a set of handseals. "**Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu**!(Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique) (4)." proclaimed the blonde, spitting out a short stream of flames onto the two corpses. No need to further traumatize Inari by having him stumble on a pair of rotting corpses. While the _Ryūka no Jutsu_ was pretty useless in combat without its wires, having a reach of only a few feet before the flames disipated, it still created a good short-range flame-thrower that ignited anything it came in contact with, perfect for burning corpses.

As the corpses were quickly reduced to ashes, Naruto pulled out a short length of paper and a notepad, before scribbling a short message for Kakashi-sensei.

_Intruders found and eliminated. They were Gatō's mercenaries. Keep a close eye on the civilians in case more show up. I'm heading to the bridge to check in and report this to sensei and the others._

_Naruto_

Rolling up the parchment he presented it to Asura. "I need you to take this to Kakashi-sensei okay? Stay with him until I get back." instructed Naruto. The fox looked at him for a minute before yipping, grabbing the note, and running toward the house. Naruto watched her run off for a moment before turning and heading toward the bridge. Something told him that this was just going to be the tip of the iceberg.

_**~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~**_

_(Bridge, Short time earlier)_

Anko cursed under her breath. The second they'd arrived at the construction site her nostrils had flared as she caught a whiff of an all too familiar metallic scent. Blood! "Brats! On your guard, our enemy's already here!" called out the purple-haired jounin as she fell into a stance, a kunai appearing in each hand.

Sasuke and Sai both tensed immediately when they heard the order. Sasuke fell into a low stance, his eyes scanning the thin mist that had covered the bridge as he searched for some sign of their enemy. Sai was calmer, drawing his tantō in an instant and moving to stand in front of their client.

"Well, well, most impressive Mitarashi Anko. Tell me, how did you know we were here?" asked Zabuza as the mist cleared, revealing both him and Haku in her hunter-nin guise standing opposite of the Konoha contingent. Lying between them were the bodies of over two dozen men, all showing senbon piercing some point of their bodies.

"My god!" whispered Tazuna as he stared at his downed workers.

"Relax old man, they're not dead. Hunter-boy over there simply knocked them out." stated Anko calmly, her eyes still fixed on Zabuza. "As for how I found you big guy, well that oversized meat cleaver of yours just reeks of all kinds of blood. You don't wash it much, do you?"

Zabuza actually chucked like that. "And why would I do a thing like that? I _like_ the smell of blood." smirked the missing-nin. "Now hand over the old man or I'll be forced to add yours to my blade."

"Uh, uh, uh." replied Anko, shaking her head as she absently twirled one of her kunai. "You know that's not how this works Zabu-chan." teased Anko as she smirked at him. "You want to harm my client you have to go through me, thems the rules."

Zabuza's eyes became glacially cold at that. "Little girl, you have no idea…"

Suddenly, a half-dozen water clones, each preparing to swing its its own copy of the Kubikiribōchō, appeared out of the mists surrounding the three Konoha-nin and their civilian client.

"WHO YOU'RE DEALING WITH!" roared all seven nuke-nin at once as the clones swung their weapons.

Sasuke was about to move, showing off the new speed he'd acquired while training during this mission, only for Anko's voice to cut him off.

"**Sen'eijashu**! (Hidden Shadow Snake Hand) (5)."

Three snakes suddenly stretched themselves out of each of Anko's suddenly upraised sleeves, each flying through the air, twisting past the swinging blades, and biting a clone in the neck; causing all six to collapse back into water.

"That's my line Zabu-chan." responded a smirking Anko as her snakes quickly coiled back into her sleeves. Slowly, the sadistic jounin started to approach the mass-murdering nuke-nin, a grin on her face as she continued to spin her kunai playfully.

"Hmph, not bad girl." stated Zabuza, a smirk audible in his voce, as he started walking toward the purple-haired jounin. "Haku, handle the brats and then deal with the old man." ordered Zabuza, his eyes never leaving his approaching opponent.

"As you command Zabuza-sama." answered the masked kunoichi emotionlessly, before she burst forward in a blur of speed.

"And where do you think you're going?" asked Anko, as she prepared to intercept the kunoichi, only to suddenly twist around and raise both kunai to keep Zabuza's sword from splitting her in half.

"You shouldn't take you attention off your opponent for a moment girl." stated the nuke-nin as he stared down at his opponent.

"Aw Zabu-chan, I didn't know you were the jealous type." smirked back Anko.

Meanwhile Haku was gunning toward Tazuna, only to be forced to stop halfway and leap to the side as Sai's tantō attempted to pierce through her throat. As she regained her balance, Sasuke suddenly appeared next to her and launched a roundhouse at her masked face. Haku quickly ducked under the blow before leaping backward. She quickly fell into a low stance while facing the two boys, a trio of senbon set in each hand like claws.

"I have no desire to fight either of you. Surrender the bridge-builder and this can end without any meaningless bloodshed." stated Haku coolly from behind her mask.

"Not going to happen." answered Sasuke as he pulled out a kunai.

Sai merely adjusted his grip on his tantō.

Haku sighed silently to herself. _'Why must they always do this the hard way?' _

_**~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~**_

_~~~~~~~~ JUTSU IDENTIFICATION ~~~~~~~_

(1) _**Kenchitai** _(Detection Field): _Unranked general skill._ This is the term used to identify the passive area that a sensor is able to detect chakra sources without using any specific detection or awareness jutsu. The size of this area is entirely determined by the skill and ability of the sensor and improves with training, natural ability, and effort. It is incredibly varied in size, but usually takes up a roughly circular area and design. _Example_: Naruto Uzumaki, a relatively novice sensor, can detect chakra in a roughly five hundred foot radius around him, doubling it if the target is manipulating chakra in some way. The Second Tsuchikage, Mū, was considered one of the greatest sensors of all time and could detect any chakra presence over an area of several kilometers (1km = 3280ft).

(2)** Muon Satsujin: Chakura Yokusei no Jutsu** (Soundless Killing: Chakra Suppression Technique) – _A-ranked supplementary ninjutsu_. A supplementary skill of the _Muon Satsujin Jutsu_ (Silent Killing Technique) combat style designed to suppress the user's own chakra, making it much more difficult for sensors and similarly trained individuals to detect them. The user tightly condenses their chakra, before coiling it inward. Can be used to either reduce their chakra to that of a civilian or a lower-level ninja or to completely suppress it, making the user invisible to a sensor's _kenchitai_. Requires near perfect chakra control in order to be used flawlessly.

(3) **Kanjutsu: Senrigan** (Perception Technique: Clairvoyance): _C-ranked supplemental sensor technique_. After forming a special handseal seal and focusing their chakra, the user is able to rapidly expand their _Kenchitai_ (Detection Field) by kneading their chakra into it, expanding it up to ten times its normal size. However the user must maintain a certain level of concentration in order to keep this technique active, meaning it is impossible to keep active in combat and very difficult while moving.

(4) **Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu** (Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique): _C-rank, Katon, offensive/supplementary ninjutsu_. The user breathes fire along a cord or any other type of long object, which rushes forward along the object before catching the enemy on fire. A line of enemies can be used as the conductor as well. The flames are meant to target, and assault the enemy's upper body just like a projectile weapon. With enough chakra this technique can also be used to set the entire wire ablaze as either an attack or preparation for another technique

(5) **Seneijashu** (Hidden Shadow Snake Hands): _C-rank, offensive, summoning ninjutsu_. This technique allows the user to eject snakes from their wrist or sleeve, usually after a punching motion. The snakes are used primarily to attack from a distance and, being snakes, can inflict multiple poisonous wounds on the victim's body or hold them in place.

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

_END CHAPTER 13_

_There we go, the Battle on the Bridge has begun, now how will it end. _

_Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and sorry if there's a bit more typos than usual, my coworker got sick suddenly and I've been forced to cover a lot of the slack at the part-time job I'm working at  
until I can get a job to actually use my degrees. Stupid Economy. Anyway, I wanted to post this chapter before the month ended but with the extra hours I'm being forced to pull I didn't get enough time to  
do my usual run throughs. I'll probably go through it again and repost an edited version as soon as time becomes available, until then_

_READ AND REVIEW_


	14. Bridge Battle

**Naruto: A Seer's Fable**

**REVIEW RESPONSE**:

**Wandering Sage**: Me too, Kirara was an amazing little creature and served as the major inspiration for Asura's abilities. I'm aware of the Disgaea games yes, but have never actually played them.

**Ryo no Kitsune**: Thank you, and yes Kirara served as a major inspiration for Asura

**PlaceholderName**: Honestly, it's simply out of a desire to see several relationships. I like a lot of Naruto pairings, and its hard to pick just one for any story. Thus, when a good excuse comes along, I take it. That, and it's fun.

**haseothesage**: Yes, I hate it when good stories are just abandoned. Though its hard for authors who pick them up to continue them as well. I know I hit a lot of bumps with my Heir to the Nine Rings story that I adopted from EroSlacker Micha. It's just hard to live up to the old authors style and standards while trying to stay true to your own ideas and inspiration.

**The Fifth Rider of Armageddon**: Thank you, and I try to update as often as I can, but life tends to interfere with my plans.

_Guest_: Fu will come in the next arc or so, and I already have several ideas for her own battle style.

**roboguy45**: Theresa is old, but she's also immortal.

**Orezz Lanrete**: I've said it once and I'll say it again: Kirara inspired Asura, so yes its similar.

**DaemonWelsh**: Naruto and Negi are definitely going to butt heads in the future, since they have highly different interpretations of what fate or destiny truly is.

_To everyone else that reviewed I thank you for your time and support._

"Human Speech"

'_Human Thought'_

**"Demon/Summons Speech"**

**'_Demon/Summons Thought'_**

**Jutsu **or _Card_

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto or Fable, or anything other than my own original ideas for this story

**_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_**

**Chapter 14 Bridge Battle**

_(Bridge)_

Anko and Zabuza were still locked in position, Anko's twin kunai blocking Zabuza's massive cleaver-sword. After just a few seconds of strain, Anko's kunai were already starting to show cracks along their lengths, Zabuza's sword already threatening to shatter them and cleave through to her by the sheer weight of his sword and the strength of the nuke-nin's swing.

"Looks like those little butter knives of yours aren't going to last much longer." Zabuza stated confidently, a smirk evident beneath his bandages.

"Mah, mah, mah Zabu-chan. What's the deal with you boys and your obsession with over-sized toys? Makes a girl think you're trying to compensate for something." returned Anko easily, a playful smirk still evident on her face even as she struggled to keep Zabuza's sword at bay.

Zabuza didn't say a word, but his brow furrowed at the barb. Instantly he brought his sword back, only to twist, flipping the blade and turning the movement into a horizontal swing aimed to bisect the kunoichi at her stomach.

Anko didn't even try to block this time; instead she channeled chakra into her feet, using a variant of the tree-walking exercise to launch herself into the air and over the nuke-nin's strike. While still in midair, she launched both of the kunai still in her hands toward Zabuza before forming a seal and extending one of her arms. "**Seneijashu**! (Hidden Shadow Snake Hands) (1)." she shouted, launching a trio of venomous snakes right after her kunai.

Zabuza moved instantly, using the momentum of his still swinging blade to pull him into an agile sidestep to dodge the kunai before twisting around and swinging his sword out to decapitate the three extending snakes, which quickly exploded into smoke.

Anko landed a good dozen feet away from Zabuza, the playful smirk still evident on her lips. "Oh my, looks like I struck a nerve; didn't I Zabu-chan?" teased the snake mistress.

Zabuza merely glared at the kunoichi. "I take my job seriously girl, the battlefield's no place for childish taunts and word games." growled the nuke-nin.

"Oh, I disagree." argued Anko happily, a gleeful expression showing itself on her face as her lips curved upward into a vicious-looking grin. "A battlefield's the perfect place for fun and games. This one is my personal favorite: Bleed for Me!" Suddenly the purple-haired jounin jerked both her arms upward, momentarily revealing several narrow canisters on her forearms just behind the ends her trench coat's sleeves as the fabric swayed. "**Shikomishindan**! (Prepared Needle Shot) (2)." Instantly dozens of needles launched themselves out of each of her sleeves.

Zabuza didn't even bat an eye, raising his massive cleaver before he began moving it with speed and precision that should have been impossible for such a monstrous weapon, moving it mere inches to deflect or block incoming senbon before they could hit him. When the final needle hit, Zabuza casually deflected it upward before catching it in a free hand and bringing it up to his covered nose. "Poisoned." concluded the nuke-nin simply after taking a sniff, before throwing it away derisively and glaring at the kunoichi whose grin hadn't so much as twitched as her attack was effortlessly deflected. "Like I said girl, I've got no time for games." he stated disdainfully.

"Well that's too bad Zabu-chan, cause I feel like playing and you're the only one here I can have some fun with." replied Anko with a slight shrug, seemingly unbothered by her attack's failure.

Zabuza growled again, before he formed a single handseal with his free hand. "Play time is over girl. **Suiton: Kirigakure no Jutsu**! (Water Release: Hidden Mist Technique) (3)." called out the former Kiri-nin, causing the mists still surrounding the two began to thicken exponentially.

If anything Anko's grin only widened, her lips opening to reveal her teeth in a bloodthirsty smirk. "On the contrary Zabu-chan, the games have only just begun." she whispered into the surrounding mists.

_**~~~ XXXXX ~~~**_

Sasuke moved first, darting forward and stabbing with kunai with a quick strike aimed at Haku's heart. The masked kunoichi easily ducked under the lunge before moving to use it as an opening to stab Sasuke's unprotected side with her senbon, only to be forced to dodge at last instant when Sai moved in and slashed at her with his tantō blade.

"You leave yourself far too open when you attack Sasuke-san, you need to learn more restraint." stated Sai emotionlessly as he brought his tantō back into a loose guard position.

"Hmph." snorted Sasuke, ignoring Sai's advice. "Stay out of my way, I don't need any help." stated the Uchiha coldly, his eyes never leaving his opponent.

"Our mission is to protect the bridge-builder Tazuna. In order to accomplish that goal, we should eliminate our opponent as swiftly as possible before attempting to aid Anko-san." Sai responded, his voice still holding no emotion.

"I need to test myself and grow stronger." growled out Sasuke as he spared a moment to glare at his teammate.

"That is not part of our mission." Sai responded simply.

"You know you shouldn't argue on a battlefield." Haku's voice suddenly interrupted the two boys' bickering as she appeared between them, arms instantly lashing out to jab senbon into their necks…only for both boys to suddenly melt into pools of ink.

"**Chōjū Giga**! (Super Beast Imitating Drawings) (4)."

Haku moved instinctively, jumping and rolling away as a trio of lions pounced on the position she'd been standing in moments. When she regained her feet seconds later she noticed the lions themselves were far from normal, each appearing as if an ink drawing had come to life. However, before she could move to attack again and hopefully dispel whatever jutsu was animating them, she was forced to dodge several shuriken. The shuriken distracted her for a moment, allowing the lions to strike again, one even managing to tear at the shoulder of her kimono, before a trio of well-thrown senbon pierced each of the animated drawings in the forehead, dissipating them back into pools of ink.

Before she suddenly felt two sharp blades pierce through her, one in her stomach and the other in her back.

"And you really shouldn't have underestimated us." stated Sasuke coolly as he appeared in front of her a kunai gripped firmly in one hand while he kneeled slightly to angle it deeply into her stomach while Sai stood behind her with his tantō extended and piercing through the kunoichi's back.

Only for the body of his opponent to suddenly dissolve into water

"Thankfully I didn't." Haku's voice came from the surrounding mists, "It was an impressive tactic nonetheless, but I'm afraid that I won't fall into a trap that easily. Now it is my turn. **Hijutsu: Sensatsu Suishō**! (Secret Technique: Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death) (5)." she proclaimed, causing the water surrounding the two boys to quickly rise into the air, forming dozens of large water needles that hovered in the air. The two boys quickly went back to back, each preparing their own defenses. In mere seconds the needles reoriented themselves, all facing Sasuke and Sai, before launching themselves at the two boys in a single massive flurry.

As the needles flew toward him Sasuke's hands were already flying through a set of handseals. "**Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu**! (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique) (6)." shouted the Uchiha heir as he brought one hand up to his mouth, cupping it, before breathing out a rapid torrent of fire, twisting his body to cover an 180 degree arc with flames, dispersing the incoming needles into clouds of steam.

Meanwhile Sai had already withdrawn one of several scrolls he carried on his belt. Unrolling it, he revealed handmade ink drawing consisting of dozens of shuriken and kunai caught in midflight. Channeling chakra into the drawing, he swung the scroll outward. "**Daibuki Giga**! (Great Weapon Imitating Drawings) (7)." Instantly the shuriken and kunai, now seemingly made of ink black steel, flew off the scroll and into the air, flying toward the onrushing water needles. The ink weapons met the water needles midflight, connecting in an audible clash before both attacks began falling to the ground and dispersing into puddles of their respective element.

Haku blinked behind her mask, surprised and mildly impressed at how well the two genin had managed to deflect one of her most effective Suiton techniques. Suddenly the mists surrounding the three teen started to thicken rapidly, causing Haku to frown behind her mask. "It seems Zabuza-sama has decided to take the battle with your comrade seriously." she stated coldly, before returning her attention to the two boys standing opposite of her, her hands already forming seals. "Unfortunately this means that I too must become serious. I'm sorry, but it appears I'll have to kill you now. **Hijutsu: Makyō Hyōshō**! (Hidden Technique: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals) (8)."

Suddenly the water resting on the bridge, spilled both by her own attacks and Zabuza's dispelled clones, began to shift; flowing around the two teens and forming a wide circle before instantly freezing solid. Seconds later a dozen long stalks of pure ice began growing up into the air out of the frozen circle. As it reached a height of close to six feet, the bottom portion broke off from the ground, each stalk seemingly levitating in thin air a few inches above the ground, before they began to shift again, stretching and widening with a teeth-grating sound almost like glass grinding against itself as each stalk expanded and shifted into a thin, full-body mirror made of solid ice. Soon the process repeated itself, new stalks growing from the top of each mirror and joining with a neighboring mirror's to form a new mirror slanted slightly toward the ground until eight more floated above the previous circle, before repeating again to create a final mirror acting as the dome's roof and floating horizontally above the ground.

"This…is most certainly not a good thing." stated Sai blandly.

Sasuke resisted the urge to smack his teammate, knowing he'd need the albino in the fight to come.

_**~~~ XXXXX ~~~**_

_(Short time later, opposite side of the bridge)_

Naruto darted onto the bridge in a red-tinted blur, his cloak flowing around him as he dashed toward the construction site near the edge of the bridge at full speed. He'd been able to feel the chakra spiking from the bridge's edge before he'd even set foot on the bridge itself. Normally his sensing range was limited, but large spikes, usually resulting from combat and the use of multiple and/or high-level techniques could be felt from a much farther distance. And he'd been feeling spikes coming from the bridge for several minutes now.

That meant only one thing: a shinobi battle was taking place there.

As he ran, he quickly hit a fog bank that was absolutely soaked with chakra. Closing his eyes, Naruto burst through the cloud's edge, entering what he knew had to be the combat zone. After several long moments of running through the thick, fog he came across someone who he quickly recognized. "Tazuna-san!" he called out as he approached the older man, who started in fright before quickly turning to face him. When he recognized the blonde-haired shinobi he visibly relaxed. "What's going on here?" Naruto asked simply.

"I-it was the guy who attacked us before." stated Tazuna nervously, obviously unused to being so close to combat. "He and the hunter-person from before showed up. Your teacher's fighting that monster right now while the other two brats are fighting the other one."

"Alright, just stay calm." ordered Naruto, before refocusing on the battlefield in front of him. Closing his eyes and forming his hands into a single Ram seal in front of him, he focused on his sensing abilities, trying to get a better idea of what was happening. It was difficult, the mists were completely saturated with chakra making it a lot harder to detect or differentiate other chakra signals.

…There! Deeper in the mists were two large chakras, both at least jounin level. That had to be Anko and Zabuza fighting. Closer to the two of them was another three chakra sources of varying sizes, one significantly larger than the other two, and all three familiar, though the larger one was significantly less so. The two familiar ones, Sasuke and Sai, were seemingly surrounded by some sort of manifestation of the third ones chakra.

Now he needed to decide what to do. On his own he knew he'd probably just get in the way of Anko's fight, but if he helped Sasuke and Sai, the three of them together could at least provide some kind of backup or support. Decision made, Naruto reached into his vest and pulled out two stacks of playing cards. Letting both fall to the ground, Naruto quickly formed a trio of seals, ending on a Bird seal. "**Karuta Jutsu: Karuta Bunshin**! (Playing Card Technique: Playing Card Clone) (9)." proclaimed Naruto as he channeled the completed jutsu into the cards. Instantly, the two mounds of cards quickly began to rise into the air, reshaping themselves into vaguely humanoid masses before, in a puff of smoke, both transformed into identical copies of Naruto.

"Tazuna-san, these two are going to be your bodyguards for now. Try and get some distance but don't leave the vicinity, we don't know what else Gatō might have planned." ordered Naruto, getting a nervous nod from the old man as he started moving back, followed closely by the two clones.

The Karuta Bunshin were a good choice for bodyguards. While similar, each bunshin technique had its own advantage and disadvantages. Mizu Bunshin were relatively inexpensive when it came to chakra cost but required both a nearby source material and were usually weaker than the original. Kage Bunshin were just as strong as the original and required no sources, but were both quite fragile and required a great deal of chakra to create. The Karuta Bunshin were quite durable, capable of taking quite a few nonlethal hits before breaking apart, had average chakra costs, and were capable of using several unique jutsu, but they required a medium and couldn't be made in large numbers.

As Tazuna and the clones moved back, Naruto rushed forward, heading toward his target, hoping he'd make it in time.

_**~~~ XXXXX ~~~**_

'_It seems my analysis was correct.'_ thought Sai, trying to keep his breathing calm and his focus centered solely on surviving this encounter. The young Root operative certainly didn't look like he was faring well. His shirt and pants were ripped in a several dozen places, showing dozens of shallow cuts across his pale white skin. A number of senbon were lodged in his arms, legs, and back, though thankfully he'd managed to avoid any lethal or highly debilitating hits so far. He held his tantō in a defensive stance, his hands shaking slightly from a mix of exhaustion and blood loss. _'This is most definitely not good.'_ he finished mentally, before leaping to the side to dodge a trio of senbon launched from a seemingly random mirror.

Sasuke was in front of him, lying on the ground, his body punctured by several dozen needles in various spots. Sai didn't believe he was dead, their opponent had thus far shown a desire to win using nonlethal force; a decision Sai still couldn't understand. Given their opponent's abilities, it would have been far easier for them to simply kill them rather than attempting to render them unconscious. Perhaps they wanted to take Sasuke hostage and sell him and his Sharingan, though that would not explain their attempts to keep him alive as well.

The battle had gone downhill the moment their opponent had created this strange jutsu, using what Sai knew to be the bloodline of the Yuki clan of Kirigakure, the _Hyōton _(Ice Release). According to the Intel reports Danzō-sama had gathered the clan had apparently been one of the first targeted when the bloodline purges had started and had supposedly been wiped out. It was also apparent that those reports were either false or at least inaccurate; if he survived he'd have to report that to Danzō-sama, it would be most unfortunate if there were flaws within his information network.

Shortly after it had finished forming their opponent had displayed precisely how dangerous their newest technique was, moving from mirror to mirror at speeds far too fast for his eyes to track while launching dozens of senbon at the two genin from all directions. While he and Sasuke had been able to avoid any _major_ hits in the first volley, though both suffered a plethora of minor cuts and lacerations, and the many smaller ones that had followed, they were both being slowly whittled down under the constant assault. Sasuke had attempted to melt one of the mirrors with his clan's fire technique, but the opponent's bloodline-based ice was apparently highly resistant to normal Katon techniques. Even after Sasuke managed to activate his Sharingan it had only managed to slow down their decline. He couldn't even use his _Chōjū Giga_ (Super Beast Imitating Drawings), their opponent targeted him the second he began to draw, always targeting his scrolls first and foremost to eliminate the technique before it could begin, and none of the few preprepared scrolls he carried had anything that he believed could assist them.

After that, their opponent, apparently wary of the infamous Konoha bloodline, had increased their attack, launching a massive barrage of needles from all the mirrors simultaneously. Sai had managed to dodge the worse of it, but Sasuke hadn't been as lucky and was now out of the fight and either unconscious or dead.

So he was on his own, injured, and facing an opponent who was obviously highly skilled, possessed an advanced bloodline, and had already managed to capture him in a technique that gave them a distinct advantage.

Yes 'not good' summed up his situation quite nicely.

"Most impressive." stated Haku calmly as her image started to appear in the mirrors surrounding Sai. "I'm most surprised a genin is capable of dodging my attacks so effectively, but you're no ordinary genin are you?" she asked, her voice calm and not revealing any of her intentions.

Sai didn't respond, instead he merely readjusted his grip on his tantō, awaiting the next attack. A shinobi did not give information away to their enemies.

"Not answering?" asked Haku, before her shoulders moved in a minute shrug. "I suppose it doesn't really matter. Goodbye, Konoha shinobi-san. **Hijutsu: Makyō Hyōhari**! (Secret Technique: Demonic Mirroring Ice Needles) (10)." The surrounding mirrors suddenly started glowing with an inner light before dozens of ice needles exploded out of each one, filling most of dome as they flew toward Sai.

Sai frowned. This was the same techniques she'd used to take down Sasuke after his Sharingan awakened. Sai had only barely managed to dodge it before, mostly due to the attack being focused on Sasuke, but had still ended up with a number of new cuts and several senbon lodged in one of his arms and side. Now, injured and with the technique focused on him, it would be nearly impossible for him to survive. As the technique began to activate, the mirrors glowing as more chakra was channeled into them, Sai made a decision. The Sharingan needed to be kept out of enemy hands. Moving quickly he prepared to reverse his grip on his tantō and use it to cut through the last Uchiha's eyes, killing him and removing the Sharingan before the enemy could acquire them .

However, before he could bring his sword to bear, a new form entered the dome, appearing in front of Sai in a flare of yellow sparks. In the same instant, the figure drew something out of his shirt and threw it into the air where it scattered into dozens of smaller objects, before starting a rapid series of handseals. "**Karuta Jutsu: Gojuni no Hitate**! (Playing Card Technique: Fifty-two Flying Shields) (11)."

The thrown objects, which Sai now identified as playing cards, suddenly froze mid-fall before they started rapidly orbiting the two standing, and one prone, shinobi. As the first needle met the now rapidly spinning cards they connected with a small clash that saw the needle deflected while the card was knocked out of alignment before it stabilized and returned to its course. As more and more needles connected with the rapidly swirling cards, the figure, which Sai had also recognized as one Naruto Uzumaki, maintained his stance, hands still held in the final seal of the jutsu, a Bird seal if Sai wasn't mistaken.

"Crap." muttered Naruto as a needle managed to slip through the swirling defense and headed straight for him. The _Hitate_ (Flying Shield) technique was far from a perfect defense, even at the speed the cards were moving with sheer number of needles flying at them it was impossible to keep at least a few of them from slipping through. As he gritted his teeth and hoped he could maintain control over his technique even after getting hit, Sai's tantō suddenly cut through the air and intercepted the needle, deflecting it away from Naruto's face. Letting out a slight breath he turned to the pale teen. "Thanks Sai."

"No thanks are necessary Uzumaki-san." stated Sai calmly as he moved to deflect another needle that had slipped through the defensive barrier. "On the contrary, I believe it is I who should be thanking you. If you had not interfered this battle would have ended most unpleasantly."

"What can you tell me about our opponent?" asked Naruto, still maintaining his technique while Sai continued to deflect or block any of the ice needles that managed to slip through.

"The enemy possesses a bloodline known as the Hyōton, a subelement-based bloodline that allows the user to create and manipulate a form of chakra-infused ice." answered Sai quickly as he kept his attention focused on deflecting the incoming needles, attempting to keep the conversation as simple and quick as possible. "They seem to specialize in ranged combat, particularly in the use of senbon. They are apparently able to move between the mirrors that surround us at an extremely high speed, and the mirrors themselves are extremely durable and apparently resistant to Katon ninjutsu. He also seems quite averse to using lethal force…"

Before Sai could continue the rain of needles suddenly ended and Naruto dropped his technique, wanting to conserve as much chakra as possible for the fight still ahead, and allowed the cards to fall to the ground.

"I was not expecting another opponent to interfere." stated Haku calmly as she stared down at them from within her ice mirrors, her eyes locked on the newly arrived Naruto.

"Well, well, funny meeting you again Haku-chan." stated Naruto simply as he stared at the reflection, causing one of Sai's eyebrow to rise slightly in confusion and Haku's eyes to widen behind her mask momentarily before they narrowed.

"How did you know it was me?" asked the dark-haired kunoichi coldly as she stared at Naruto from behind her mask.

"I told you before Haku-chan, I'm a sensor, and you happen to have a very distinctive chakra signature. I'm guessing it's partly because of that bloodline of yours." answered Naruto simply, before he turned one eye toward Sai. "Sai, take Sasuke and get out of here." ordered the blonde.

Sai merely returned Naruto's gaze. "Are you sure that is wise?"

"Yes." agreed Naruto shortly. "I'm still fresh, but Sasuke's unconscious and you look like you're on your last legs; as you are now you'd both only be targets that I'd have to defend. Get back to Tazuna and focus on healing yourself as much as you can, we may need you ready to fight if worse comes to worse." He shifted slightly, falling into a new stance. "Don't worry, I'll cover you."

Sai stared at Naruto for a moment, silently contemplating the orders and judging if they bore merit. A slight inclination of his head was the only thing that warned Naruto before Sai suddenly darted forward. He quickly managed to quickly grab Sasuke, pulling him into a loose carrying position, and made a run for the edge of the ice mirrors, moving with all the speed his damaged body could give him.

"Do not think I will simply let you leave." stated Haku coldly as she flashed between several of her mirrors to arrive at the best one to intercept her fleeing opponents and launching herself at a speed that, while slower than her speed when traveling between her mirrors, was far faster than the injured Sai could move carrying a comatose Sasuke. She brought a new trio of senbon to bear between her fingers, readying to strike down Sai before he could reach the edge of her jutsu.

"**Shūjuku Senkō**! (Skilled Flash) (12)"

In a blur of swirling yellow sparks Naruto disappeared from the position he'd been standing in moments ago, reappearing instantly inches in front of Haku's still-moving form. In a single instant the blonde's leg lashed out, striking Haku in the side of her head and sending the kunoichi skidding across the surface of the bridge, her mask flying from her face with the force of the impact.

Haku quickly recovered, bringing herself back to her feet as she continued to slide across the surface of the bridge and managing to finish in a low crouch, senbon still gripped in one hand. However, the strike had done its job, distracting her long enough for Sai to reach the edge of her mirrors and escape between them with Sasuke.

Haku barely noticed, her attention was solely fixed on the blonde standing opposite of her, having landed and entered into a fighting stance after connecting with his strike. "How did you do that?" she questioned as she stared at him, her voice far calmer than how she felt. No one else had ever come close to matching her in terms of raw speed after she started using her _Makyō Hyōshō_ (Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals) technique.

Naruto smirked slight, bringing out his shakujō in a puff of smoke. "You're not the only one who has a bloodline Haku-chan." he answered mysteriously.

Haku frowned slightly, her features no longer hidden behind her mask. "I am only going to ask this once Naruto-san, do not interfere. I have no desire to harm you, but if you continue to interfere with my mission I will have no choice but to strike you down." she stated coldly.

Naruto merely frowned in return. "Not happening Haku-chan. Tazuna's not only my client, but he's also a good man trying to protect his country and family. I'm not going to step aside and let you kill him." His eyes met hers and Haku felt as if he was staring into her soul from beneath the lowered hood of his cloak. "My only question is why are you doing this? You know this is wrong, that you're dooming innocent people to a life of suffering and misery if you kill him, and I know you're not that cold-hearted. No one who believes in drawing strength from others can be that cruel."

Haku's frown deepened. "I have no other choice. Zabuza-sama needs the money this mission will provide to accomplish his goals. I am his tool, his weapon, and I will do whatever I can to aide him, even if it means sacrificing my own beliefs." stated the kunoichi coldly.

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "I respect the loyalty you're showing to him Haku, I really do; but that's not going to stop me from kicking your ass and making sure you fail." he stated respectfully as he fell into a bōjutsu stance.

Haku merely narrowed her own eyes, it seems she would have no luck convincing him either. In a single motion she brought her arm forward, launching the senbon at Naruto who quickly deflected them with his staff, but the senbon were nothing more than a distraction, allowing Haku to get back to her closest mirror and remeld with it. As soon as her body fully merged with it, she began rapidly flashing between her mirrors again, launching several senbon as she moved.

Naruto moved, dodging the first barrage and closing his eyes. "**Mōsaru, Nisemai**! (Blind Monkey, False Dance) (13)" he whispered as he extended his senses outward, focusing on using them and the ingrained agility and reflexes that were such a major part of the _Sarufū_ (Monkey Style) school. With a twist, he moved to dodge a trio of incoming senbon. A sudden drop dodged another group, while a sudden outward swing deflected three more. As Haku continued to flash between her mirrors Naruto continued to move; seemingly caught in some form of strange dance as he dodged and deflected the incoming needles.

Haku frowned as her new opponent proved far more adept at dodging her attacks than the previous two. Channeling her chakra into the mirrors, they began to light up once more as the chakra surged through them. "**Hijutsu: Makyō Hyōhari**! (Secret Technique: Demonic Mirroring Ice Needles) (10)." In an instant her mirrors began to glow again before hundreds more needles exploded out of them, all flying directly toward Naruto.

Naruto quickly resealed his staff and formed two handseals, an Ox seal followed by a Ram seal. "That's not going to work against me. **Ijiton: Tengai Kyōsei**! (Will Release: Force Dome) (14)." shouted the blonde as he brought his hands together in a clapping motion. As his hands came together a shimmering, rippling wave of force erupted off him, heading out in all directions. As the rippling wave of pure kinetic energy met the descending ice needles with an audible clang, the needles were pushed to the side, their own momentum broken by the onrushing wall.

Even Haku could feel her mirrors shake violently as the wave of force met them; momentarily distracting her while Naruto completed a second set of seals.

'_If normal Katon techniques won't work against her ice, let's see how some Ijiton-based fire works.' _thought the blonde as he brought his hands together, one over the other and slightly separated. "**Ijiton: Kakyū**! (Will Release: Fireball) (15)." intoned Naruto as the space between his hands suddenly ignited into a small orb of fire. Maintaining his concentration, he continued to funnel more and more chakra into the technique, causing the small red and orange fireball to shift to a bright yellow. As the flames shifted again, this time into a bright blue, Naruto shot his hands forward, releasing the fireball toward the mirror he'd sensed Haku in before she'd launched her attack.

The ice-using kunoichi had just recovered her focus when she noticed the blue, baseball-sized orb of fire streaking toward her. Normally she was confident enough in the strength of her mirrors to protect her from fire-based attacks, but given Naruto's already surprising performance, caution got the better of her and she moved, flashing toward another of her mirrors just before the orb impacted the old one dead center.

It was a smart move.

The second the small orb connected with the mirror's surface it exploded in a massive burst of heat and flames. Even Haku, safely enshrouded in another ice mirror by the time the detonation occurred, could feel the heat of the blast. As she looked on, she was shocked to find her mirror shattered and mostly melted, revealing a large gap in the air where it had formerly floated. "Impossible." she whispered to herself, not believing the sight in front of her. No one had ever managed to _melt_ one of her mirrors before.

"**Kakyū**! (Fireball)" Naruto's voice cut through the air again.

Her shock nearly cost her dearly as another blue fireball came hurtling toward her current mirror. Only years of training and ingrained reflexes allowed her to flash to another mirror just before the flaming projectile connected again.

'_I cannot let myself get distracted.'_ mentally scolded Haku as she entered her newest mirror. _'Those fireballs seem to take time to form; I can't give him enough time to make another.'_ she decided as she channeled more chakra into several of her remaining mirrors "**Hijutsu: Makyō Hyōkiri**! (Secret Technique: Demonic Mirroring Ice Slash) (16)." Instantly she flashed across several of her mirrors before exiting the final one, senbon ready to pierce her opponent who was still gathering his chakra for his next fireball.

Naruto moved to dodge; releasing the chakra he'd been gathering and allowing the fireball to dissipate as he lurched out of the way of the oncoming kunoichi. He managed to avoid a serious hit, but still earned a trio of narrow cuts across one of his arms as Haku moved to remerge with her mirrors. Naruto quickly began forming another set of seals, only for another strike to interrupt him before he could finish, this one managing to score three more cuts across his side. _'Damn it, she's not giving me enough time to charge my jutsu.'_ cursed Naruto as he moved to dodge another slash, no longer even bothering to try forming his technique again, instead focusing on dodging the fast-moving attacks his opponent was launching at him. _'Got to think of something fast, I can't keep dodging at this speed for long.'_

_**~~~ XXXXX ~~~**_

Meanwhile, deeper inside the mist, another battle was raging.

Zabuza Momochi was widely known as one of Kiri greatest ninja, not out of raw power, though he was a powerful fighter on par with any other elite jounin, but for his masterful skill as an assassin. Sight, hearing, and smell, even touch and taste; none of the five senses, no matter how powerful or enhanced could detect him when he fought. He was a master of the _Muon Satsujin no Jutsu_ (Soundless Murder Technique), the ultimate assassination style created by Kiri's elite forces. He could suppress his chakra to the point that even the greatest sensors could barely detect his presence. His weapon, the dreaded _Kubikiribōchō_ (Decapitating Carving Knife), could kill any man with a single swing. He had mastered the _Kirigakure no Jutsu_ (Hidden Mist Technique) (3) to the point that it blocked or at least weakened any chakra-based perception techniques.

In many ways Zabuza could be considered the ultimate embodiment of the shinobi assassin by Kirgakure's standards; brutal, efficient, and completely deadly.

Only Anko Mitarashi seemed to fight on an entirely different standard

Zabuza snarled as he swept out with his massive cleaver-like sword, only to cut through only mist as his opponent dodge again before being forced to dodge a trio of kunai as he retreated back into the mists. The fight hadn't been going well for him since he'd activated his jutsu. Every time he got close the woman seemed to react instantly, like she could still sense him some way. It should have been impossible, but Zabuza was experienced enough to know that, when it came to shinobi, very few things were truly impossible. He had shifted his style several times, using the different tricks and techniques designed to block different types of advanced senses but nothing had worked. He was now sporting several small wounds, scratches and small cuts mostly, from the counterattacks but none were serious enough to worry him. He'd been trained to detect toxins by scent alone, and even if they were poisons, the cuts were too small to deliver anything more than a miniscule dosage into his system, something his own training should be able to fight off.

He rolled his shoulders absently, feeling a bit of unpleasant stiffness. This fight had been going on far longer than he'd anticipated. Growling to himself silently in frustration, Zabuza blurred forward raising his sword and bringing it down in a vertical swing aiming to split Anko in half. The purple-haired kunoichi once again seemed to sense the attack coming, back-flipping over the blade while throwing a trio of shuriken at her opponent. Zabuza didn't dodge this time; instead he deflected the incoming weapons with his sword before following after her, lashing out with another devastating swing of his massive sword.

Anko rolled out the way, grinning toothily as she avoided the attack. "What'ssss the mater Zabuza-chan, getting frussstrated." she hissed playfully, quite literally on the hissing part.

Zabuza growled again, before he noticed the changes in the woman's face. While the mists blocked his own sight at a distance like they did his targets, up close he could plainly see the physical changes that had covered Anko's features. Her eyes, once a amber shade of brown, were now a bright yellow with reptilian slits replacing her pupils. Her nose had flattened and elongated somewhat and her facial features had lengthened somewhat, giving her face a snake-like cast. Finally when she opened her mouth to speak, a long forked tongue darted out to taste the air and he could make out the form of two small fangs protruding from her upper mouth. "What the hell have you done to yourself?" growled Zabuza warily.

"Ah, what'sss the matter? Don't like my **Jamen no** **Jutsssu**? (Snake Mask Technique) (17)." hissed Anko playfully, pouting slightly only for her serpentine tongue to dart from between lips. "It wassss a final gift from my bassstard of a ssenssei. The resssult of an experiment to enhanssse my connection to the ssnake clan. I can't really complain though, ssissse it hass ssso many usseful benefitsss; a ssnake'sss ssenssesss are ssso much better than a human'ss you know."

Zabuza fought down the vague disquiet the woman's altered appearance and hissing voice was causing. "Even if your senses are enhanced, you still shouldn't be able to locate me." growled Zabuza as he adjusted his grip on his sword.

"You think sssssso?" Anko hissed back teasingly, before giggling lightly. "Well you're right, my normal ssssenssesss couldn't find you, but you ssssee ssome ssnakess have a sssensse that humanss don't. Right back here" she tapped the ridge of her lengthened nose. "are a few ssspecial little sssenssory organs that do the mossst usssefull of thingsss. They let me sssensse heat."

"Heat?" growled Zabuza, realization suddenly edging its way into his mind.

"Yesss heat." agreed Anko happily. "And your big, ssstrong body, all sssweaty from sswinging around that oversssized knife of yourss, is radiating ssso much body heat right now. You're all lit up like a beacon in the night, particularly with thisss cold, wet missst ass a background."

Zabuza growled again under his breath, so that was how the bitch was finding him. There was no technique in his repertoire to lower his body heat, the idea being nearly physically impossible while allowing him to continue fighting. Growling he lunged forward, deciding that if stealth wasn't going to win this fight, he'd best overpower the girl. So far she'd been doing her best to keep her distance from him while they fought, that hopefully meant a weakness in close-range that he could exploit.

It was a mistake.

Zabuza was incredibly powerful and surprisingly fast when wielding his monstrous weapon, and when he fought it was nearly always a one-hit, one-kill ratio. The only problem was he couldn't hit his opponent this time. Anko's fighting style focused on speed and flexibility, power coming only in bursts when she was ready to attack. The resulting battle looked more like some form of dance as Anko dodged, weaved, and slipped by every swing and strike of her opponent's massive weapon, striking out with a freshly drawn kunai whenever she saw an opening and occasionally managing to score a small wound when her opponent couldn't dodge.

Their exchange lasted for several minutes, both striking and dodging to the best of their abilities before the two suddenly separated. Anko seemed to be fine, but Zabuza was breathing heavily, his joints were aching and it was getting harder to breathe. _'What the hell is happening to me? It feels like I've been fighting for hours._' thought the nuke-nin as he tried to catch his breath.

"Looks like my venom's finally taking effect." cheered Anko happily as she stood across from the larger nin, kunai drawn and ready in both hands. She'd dropped her _Jamen no Jutsu_ (Snake Mask Technique) shortly after realizing Zabuza was no longer attempting to hide. If he tried to pull back, she could always reactivate it.

"Venom?" grunted Zabuza, "What the hell are you talking about girl? You haven't hit me with anything big enough to poison me like this." growled out the nuke-nin.

"Ah, Ah, Ah Zabu-chan." teased Anko, waving one of her kunai in a vaguely scolding manner. "You should know that when it comes to poisons a little can go a long way, particularly if you get several small doses one after another when your blood's really pumping."

Zabuza glared at her for a moment, realization sinking in. "You mean…"

"Bingo!" cried Anko joyfully. "All the kunai and shuriken I used when you were hiding in the mists were covered in a nice slathering of one of my personal poison mixes, a nearly scentless one that would have been impossible for you to notice in that thick fog of yours. Nothing instantly lethal, can't risk hurting the client or the cute little genin after all, but it should be more than enough to slow you down. I do hope you like it Zabu-chan, I made it myself after all."

Zabuza growled; he refused to be beaten by something as simple as a little poison. Snarling he lifted his Kubikiribōchō, hefting it over his head before, with a thunderous roar, he twisted and hurled the massive weapon at Anko like it was a boomerang. The move was completely reckless, depriving him of his main weapon, and was also completely unexpected, just what Zabuza wanted.

Anko's eyes widened substantially as she leapt to the side, frantically dodging the massive, spinning projectile. She barely managed to dodge in time, losing the tail ends her coat as the blade cut through them. She landed on the ground, letting out a relieved breath…

Right before Zabuza tackled her before pinning her to the ground, one leg holding one arm down while his arm held the other while his free arm held a kunai ready to slit her throat. The man had apparently charged her, using the shadow of his own massive weapon to hide before leaping at her as she dodged to the side. "Now I've got you." growled the nuke-nin as he readied the kunai to slit her throat.

"Wrong Zabu-chan." stated Anko, a ferocious grin playing on her face despite the desperate situation. "I'm the one whose got you." she hissed before a small object suddenly sprung out of Anko's coat, coiling around Zabuza's kunai-wielding arm before he screamed in pain as it suddenly felt like his arm had been set on fire. The momentarily distraction was all Anko needed to break Zabuza's hold on her and knock the nuke-nin away before she lashed out with one of her kunai.

Despite his obvious pain, Zabuza managed to dodge the slash, leaping back and towards where his sword had imbedded itself in the ground not ten feet from where Anko had previously been standing. Looking toward his arm as he landed, he noted a snake coiled around his arm. It was small, no more than a foot long and a bright red in color with an ash grey streak going down the center of its spine before forming an arrow shape on the back of its head, which was now stuck fangs deep in his arm. Growling, Zabuza attempting to swat the thing off him, only for it to release his arm and fall to the ground before it started slithering back towards its master.

Zabuza was half-tempted to stomp the thing, but the raging pain in his arm reminded him he had more important priorities. "What was that? Some kind of summons?" growled the nuke-nin warily, wondering how the woman had managed to summon it from seemingly nowhere.

Anko smirked as she leaned down, letting the small snake coil up her arm and hide in her coat. "Nope, that little beauty is called a Fire Country Ash Viper, one of the most venomous snakes native to my homeland." stated Anko happily. "You see, I've always had an affinity for snakes; something about my chakra seems to attract and calm them. It's how I earned my first nickname, the _Konoha no Hebi Tsukai_ (Snake Charmer of Konoha), and what originally interested my former master enough to take me as an apprentice. I've caught and tamed dozens of these cute little critters throughout my life and career, and I usually keep at least one on me just in case I need a little surprise."

Zabuza couldn't believe it, who in their right mind kept a venomous snake hidden in their clothing? He grunted in pain as his legs started to shake and wobble under his own weight.

"Oooh, looks like it's already started." squealed Anko happily. "My little Ash Viper's venom is a really nasty thing. First it starts working at the nerves and muscles in the extremities, causing weakness and slowing strengthening numbness. Within five minutes the entire body goes numb and you slip into a coma, and in ten the heart freezes up, resulting in instantaneous death." Anko explained giddily, before she suddenly became more serious. "But I don't think I can wait that long." In a puff of smoke a kunai appeared in her hand, the blade glistening slightly. While she kept her 'lightly' poisoned weapons, those whose poisons she'd already developed a complete immunity to, stored on her person; even she wasn't crazy enough to store the really dangerous one, those she'd only been able to develop a partial immunity to at most, where a single mishap could end up dosing her. Instead they were stored in several seals hidden throughout her coat. "This kunai's covered in venom from the same snake that just bit you; another dose should be more than enough to end you instantly. Thanks for the fun Zabu-chan."

With that Anko launched herself forward, intent on ending this fight once and for all.

_**~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~**_

_**~~~~~~~~ Jutsu Identification ~~~~~~~**_

(1) **Seneijashu **(Hidden Shadow Snake Hands): _C-rank, offensive, summoning ninjutsu_. This technique allows the user to eject snakes from their wrist or sleeve, usually after a punching motion. The snakes are used primarily to attack from a distance and, being snakes, can inflict multiple poisonous wounds on the victim's body or hold them in place.

(2) **Shikomishindan **(Prepared Needle Shot): _C-rank offensive bukijutsu_ (weapon technique). Using one or more prepared and hidden senbon launchers, usually concealed by the user's clothing, the user is capable of launching a large number of senbon, usually covered in poison, at a target with little to no warning.

(3) **Suiton: Kirigakure no Jutsu** (Water Style: Hidden Mist Technique): _D-rank, supplementary, Suiton ninjutsu_. This displacement technique is a specialty of the ninja from Kirigakure, where one causes a mist to spring forth by channeling chakra into a nearby water source, lifting the water up and turning it into a thick mist. The mist's thickness is controlled by the amount of chakra kneaded into it, and with enough skill and chakra the mist can limit the effectiveness of most dōjutsu.

(4) **Chōjū Giga** (Super Beast Imitating Drawings) – _C-B-ranked, offensive/supplementary ninjutsu_. The ninja uses chakra-infused ink to quickly draw objects onto a scroll or other suitable surface. The moment the brush is removed, the images leap from the paper, grow to life-size, and act according to the user's will. Because they are made of ink, a single blow is usually enough to dispel them. It is a highly versatile and variable technique whose power and effect vary based on the user's skill (both as an artist and as a shinobi), the chakra put into the technique, and the creatures drawn.

(5) **Hijutsu: Sensatsu Suishō** (Secret Technique: Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death) – _B-ranked offensive Suiton ninjutsu_. The user gathers some water from the air and surrounding environment into one thousand long needles. They can then direct them to a specific target at high speed. While the needles do surround a target from all sides, they don't appear above the target, creating an escape route.

(6) **Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu** (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique) – _C-ranked offensive Katon ninjutsu_. A technique where chakra kneaded inside the body is converted into fire and expelled from the mouth either as a massive orb of roaring flame or as a continuous flame-thrower. The scope of the attack is altered by controlling the volume of chakra that is mustered. The released flames will engulf their target, and leave a crater on the ground's surface.

(7) **Daibuki Giga** (Great Weapon Imitating Drawings) – _C-ranked offensive/supplementary ninjutsu._ A derivative of the _Chōjū Giga_ (Super Beast Imitating Drawings) technique that creates weapons rather than creatures; either launching them as a ranged attack or creating them to be used in battle. The weapons created by this technique are far sturdier than the creatures created by its parent technique, due to the fact that this jutsu doesn't have to expend chakra to make them animate, rather it uses the excess chakra to reinforce its creations.

(8) **Hijutsu: Makyō Hyōshō** (Hidden Technique: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals) – _B-ranked Hyōton ninjutsu_. Haku's ultimate technique, this nefarious ninjutsu forms a circle of ice mirrors surrounding the target. The user is capable of merging with these mirrors and travelling between them at the speed of light, making it nearly impossible for a person without enhanced optical abilities to keep up with her attacks. However, if she attacks a target outside her mirrors her speed, while still enhanced until her momentum is lost, will be significantly reduced.

(9) **Karuta Jutsu: Karuta Bunshin** (Playing Card Technique: Playing Card Clone): _C-ranked, supplementary ninjutsu_. A Bunshin technique that uses playing cards as a medium for the jutsu, the clones are unique in that they can use Karuta ninjutsu using their bodies as bases and can even hide exploding tags within themselves. 1 Deck creates 1 Bunshin. _Note_: Advanced Bunshin like the Shadow and Card clones can use Naruto's special cards, but they are removed from all decks when they are activated.

(10) **Hijutsu: Makyō Hyōhari** (Secret Technique: Demonic Mirroring Ice Needles) – _B-ranked offensive Hyōton ninjutsu_. A move used in combination with the _Makyō Hyōshō_ (Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals), by further reinforcing the ice mirrors with their chakra, the user is capable of launching a barrage of ice needles from all the existing mirrors at once. It is nearly impossible to dodge this attack.

(11) **Karuta Jutsu: Gojuni no Hitate** (Playing Card Technique: Fifty-two Flying Shields) – _C-ranked defensive ninjutsu._ A defensive _Karuta_ (Playing Card) technique that first reinforces a deck of playing cards to give them the same strength as shuriken or kunai before causing them to rapidly circle a given area, deflecting or blocking incoming attacks. As long as chakra is maintained in this technique, the cards will continue to spin. Even if struck and knocked out of alignment, they will quickly return to their place as long as they are not irrevocably damaged. Due to the nature of this technique, the smaller the area protected, the greater the defensive value of the technique, due to the fact that the cards can only cover a certain amount of area in a given rotation, so smaller areas gain a more dense protection.

(12) **Shūjuku Senkō** (Skilled Flash) – _Undefined ninja skill_. An ability based off the Skill aspect of the Archon bloodline. The user focuses on augmenting their speed using their bloodline's power, allowing them to seemingly teleport over short distances.

(13) **Mōsaru, Nisemai** (Blind Monkey, False Dance) – _C-ranked defensive bōjutsu technique_. A defensive technique of the _Sarufū_ (Monkey Style) school of bōjutsu. This technique focuses on using the wielders other senses besides sight to counter attacks that are either mover too fast or they are otherwise unable to see, focusing heavily on using the user's instincts and ingrained reflexes to dodge and/or deflect incoming attacks.

(14) **Ijiton: Tengai ****Kyōsei** (Will Release: Force Dome) – _C-ranked Ijiton offensive/defensive ninjutsu_. An area-affecting version of the _Oshi Kyōsei_ (Force Push) technique that sends off invisible, concussive force in all directions around the user. While not directly damaging, this technique can cause harm by either slamming targets into nearby objects or throwing them off cliffs or into other dangers; or it can be used to deflect incoming attacks.

(15) **Ijiton: Kakyū** (Will Release: Fireball) – _C-ranked Ijiton offensive ninjutsu_. The user gathers will chakra between their hands before willing it to ignite, creating a small fireball between their hands. The fireball can then be launched at opponents, where it explodes into a much larger blast on contact with a solid surface. Like many other Ijiton techniques, this attack can be 'charged' by channeling more chakra into the technique as it is formed, enhancing the strength of the technique.

(16) **Hijutsu: Makyō Hyōkiri** (Secret Technique: Demonic Mirroring Ice Slash) – _B-ranked offensive Hyōton ninjutsu_. A technique used in combination with the _Makyō Hyōshō_ (Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals). The user 'rebounds' across several of their mirrors, using them to gain momentum before launching herself outward to attack the target at greatly enhanced speeds before quickly remerging with another mirror in order to start the process again.

(17) **Jamen no Jutsu** (Snake Mask Technique) – _B-ranked supplementary kinjutsu_. A technique resulting _kinjutsu_ (forbidden technique), created by Orochimaru using Anko Mitarashi as a test subject: the _Hebiyōsu no Jutsu_ (Serpent Aspect Technique). By using advanced gene manipulation techniques, Orochimaru attempted to increase Anko's ability as a snake summoner by bonding a mixture of snake DNA with her own genetics, hoping to grant her, and later himself, more snake-like aspects and abilities. The results were somewhat successful but Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Hokage at the time of its creation, quickly labeled the process as a kinjutsu due to the strains it put on the affected target's body. If it wasn't for Anko's 'unique' chakra, it is widely believed she wouldn't have survived the process. When activated, this technique grants the user several of a snake's increased senses; enhanced taste and scent using a now forked tongue, the ability to detect heat sources using infrared-sensitive organs located in and around the user's nose, and an increased sensitivity to vibrations in the ground. It also an opening technique, allowing her to use several other jutsu based off the transformation it causes.

**_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_**

**_END CHAPTER 14_**

**_Well there's the first half of the Bridge Battle, hope you like and we'll be finishing it up next chapter._**

**_Until then, good night, good luck, and _**

**_READ AND REVIEW_**


	15. Demon's Fall

**Naruto: A Seer's Fable**

**REVIEW RESPONSE**:

**Swanboy**: Interesting argument, but I disagree that Anko's poisons would be ineffective or that Zabuza would know her tactics just because she's Orochimaru's apprentice. As you said her reputation was formed around her being the Snake Sannin's apprentice (i.e. use of snake techniques) and her skills as an interrogator.

**n0mster**: Alright, you've made a few good points but allow me to counter. While your argument about the _Jamen no Jutsu_ working less effectively due to the mist makes sense, but I believe that that would only apply if Zabuza was a long distance away. Since he has to stay relatively close to her to attack, it allows the technique to be used as an effective defense. As for Anko managing to hit him, a lot of Zabuza's skill is based off his ability to hide flawlessly in the mists. Most of Anko's attacks came directly after he attacked, a time he'd be vulnerable to a counter, and I will repeat that most of those were minor injuries at best, scratches and minor cuts, he still managed to avoid most of the blows, but the minor ones were enough to start slowing him down.

**Astelion**: Interesting idea, perhaps in the future.

**plums**: Thanks, and I agree the Wave chapters can get a little…repetitive, but its still an important turning point. As for cutting it off, well I had a bunch of ideas and I wouldn't have been able to fit everything into a single chapter.

**_To everyone else that reviewed I thank you for your time and support._**

"Human Speech"

'_Human Thought'_

"**Demon/Summons Speech"**

'**_Demon/Summons Thought'_**

**Jutsu** or _Card_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Fable, or anything other than my own original ideas for this story**

**_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_**

** Chapter 15 Demon's Fall**

_(Bridge, Naruto and Haku's Battle)_

"Shit!" swore Naruto as he once again leapt to the side, narrowly avoiding Haku's claw-like senbon as they ripped through the edge of his cloak. Ever since he'd managed to destroy two of her ice mirrors, Haku had been relentlessly attacking, not giving him a moment to try and form and charge his _Kakyū_ (Fireball) technique again.

'_This is bad.'_ thought Naruto as he once again moved to dodge, this time managing to completely avoid Haku's flying slash. _'None of my normal fire techniques can melt her ice, especially if it can resist the teme's _**_Gōkakyū no_ _Jutsu _**(Great Fireball Technique).' He'd only managed to learn a few Katon techniques from Anko so far, and none of them were as directly powerful as the _Gōkakyū no Jutsu_. While other similarly-ranked techniques were faster or more versatile, few could match the Uchiha's signature fire technique when it came to the power and heat of its flames; particularly in the hands of an Uchiha, whose natural fire affinity made the technique even more devastating. _'And my Ijiton techniques take time to charge in order to gain enough power to actually damage the damn things. Time she seems determined to not let me have.'_

Leaping to the side to avoid another slash, Naruto forced his mind to calm and started planning. _'Alright think, if I can't destroy her mirrors then how am I going to beat this technique? I might be able to match her speed using Skill when she attacks, but even then I'm not fast enough to keep up with her when she moves between those mirrors. Since she's moving from mirror to mirror when she attacks, that leaves only a certain number of avenues she can attack from. Unfortunately since she shifts between those mirrors so damn fast, there's no way of telling where she's going to attack from next and she's moving too fast for my sensor abilities to give me anything more than a brief warning before she's right on top of me.' _ Whenever Haku demerged from her ice mirrors to attack, Naruto felt a sudden...shift would be the best word…in her chakra. It wasn't much, but it was the only thing keeping him from being ripped apart by his opponent's sudden attacks.

'_If I could just slow her down for a second after she exits those mirrors I could beat her, but how am I going to…'_ a sudden bit inspiration flashed through Naruto's eyes as a small smirk appeared on his lips. _'It's worth a shot.'_ he decided as he reached toward his combat deck._ 'I'll have to time this just right or its game over.'_

Haku frowned as she watched her opponent while shifting between her mirrors. She was surprised that the blonde sensor had managed to avoid her attacks for so long; his speed and reflexes were quite impressive to say the least. _'Perhaps it's a part of the bloodline he claims to possess,'_ she thought absently as she moved between her ice mirrors, regaining her speed and finding the right angle for her next attack, before shaking her head. _'Now's not the time. Whatever he's planning I can't let him succeed. I will not fail Zabuza-sama.'_ with that though, the young kunoichi moved to her next mirror before launching herself forward in another attack, intent on stopping Naruto before he could utilize whatever weapon or tool he'd drawn from the pouch at his side.

'_There.'_ thought Naruto as he felt Haku demerge from her ice mirrors. Bringing his arm up rapidly, Naruto sent a small tendril of chakra into the card he'd drawn before releasing his grip and letting momentum do its job. "_The Dawn_! (1)" he cried.

The Dawn was among the weakest of his cards, a simple one-star that was little different from a standard shinobi flash bomb when activated. But its low rank and relative weakness allowed Naruto to activate it with the slightest touch of his chakra, meaning it didn't require any charging time.

Mere inches above Naruto's head, the flying card exploded in a massive flare of red light, filling the entirety of the ice dome. The second the card left his fingers, Naruto had ducked his head and closed his eyes to avoid the worst effects of the flash, but he could still feel the sheer intensity of the flash trying to burn through his eyelids, though thankfully it wasn't strong enough to do any real damage to his sight. It was a risk, averting his attention for even a second in a fight like this could easily kill him, but it was a necessary risk for his plan to work, and, truthfully, he didn't have many other options.

Haku, on the other hand, had instinctively tracked the flying object her opponent had thrown into the air, thinking it was some form of attack. It was…just not in the way the ice-using kunoichi had expected. As intense, bright light filled the dome Haku let out a pained scream as it burned into her eyes. Her flight faltered, causing her to skid across the ground to a halt, as she lost control of her technique for an instant as her mind was overcome the sudden, intense pain of a thousand needles being driven into her eyes.

Still, Haku was a trained kunoichi, one taught and raised a man who'd mastered one of the most brutal and efficient assassination styles in the shinobi world. Even blinded and in pain, she still heard the rustling in the air as something appeared behind her, and the whistling sound of a weapon whipping through the air towards her head. She instinctively ducked, avoiding the blow, before springing away from the source of the two sounds, twisting in mid-leap while blinking rapidly to clear the spots from her eyes in hopes of catching sight of the one who had suddenly attacked her.

She wasn't surprised to find Naruto standing there, staff in hand and still extended from his last attack, the faintest sheen of golden sparks still floating in the air around him showing how he'd suddenly appeared behind her. He was already moving when she landed, lashing out with his strange spear-tipped staff, thrusting or slashing with either the blade or the blunt ring in a constant whirling dervish of strikes that kept the young ice-user constantly on her toes as she worked to dodge each strike in rapid succession.

"I'm not letting you get back to those mirrors again." growled Naruto as he moved forward and swept his staff out in another strike, forcing her back.

'_Ah, so that was his plan.'_ Haku realized as she moved to dodge, letting a trio of senbon fall out of each of her sleeves and between her fingers again. It was a smart move; with an opponent trapped within her mirrors she had an undeniable advantage, one that would let her defeat opponents with far more power and experience. Haku on her own was a skilled kunoichi, Zabuza had placed her natural abilities at mid- to high-Chūnin already, but once she had an opponent locked within her hijutsu even a jounin would have trouble facing her.

Still that advantage became moot if she could not rejoin with her mirrors, a task that should be relatively easy considering they surrounded her and her opponent on nearly all sides. Nearly being the key word. Haku had already realized where her opponent was pushing her, the gap created when he'd first destroyed one of her mirrors. If he could force her through that gap then she'd have to cancel her technique and then reform her mirrors around them again. A task she wasn't sure she was up to. The fight with the two Konoha genin from before, while not particularly hazardous thanks to her speed and techniques, had been draining, since the two had proven far more able than she'd thought once they were trapped within her _Makyō Hyōshō_ (Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals) technique, a technique that on its own was quite draining to maintain for long periods, let alone when using several of its linked techniques like the _Makyō Hyōhari_ (Demonic Mirroring Ice Needles) or _Makyō Hyōkiri_ (Demonic Mirroring Ice Slash) which only enhanced the technique's drain.

She'd easily have put the Uchiha at high-genin, perhaps even low chūnin level. The other boy she was less sure about, but he was easily low chūnin if not higher.

Then Naruto had arrived, a person who, even through just their brief contact from before, she had come to like and who in turn had shown her a feeling of mutual respect. Even more so than the two other genin, he was someone she did not want to kill, not if there was any other way. He'd quickly shown himself to be even more dangerous than the two genin she'd faced before, capable of first partially blocking then completely deflecting one of her most dangerous techniques before actually destroying two of her mirrors, something that no opponent had ever done before.

In short, she was exhausted; her reserves were at the point where, if Naruto forced her beyond the reach of her ice mirrors, she'd be completely unable to create, let alone maintain, another one.

Gritting her teeth as another strike forced her further back; Haku was again forced to admire her newest opponent's abilities, which she would admit were almost a match for her own. Each of his strikes were designed to do one thing, force her back toward the opening in her technique, angled so that dodging to either side would result in a debilitating blow while leaving the back completely open. Deciding that she had to make a move, the young Hyōton user leapt backwards, putting her even closer to the dome's edge and surprising her opponent long enough to allow her to form a set of handseals. Even with her flagging reserves she still had enough to fire a few more low-level jutsu.

"**Hyōton: Hakushō Hari**! (Ice Release: White Crystal Needles) (2)" she called, forming her hands into a final seal. Instantly, dozens of large water droplets, seemingly condensed from the surrounding fog-enriched air, appeared around her before they began to shift, elongate, and harden, forming over a dozen half-foot long needles made of pure ice, In an instant the ice needles flew through the air, streaking toward Naruto and forcing the blonde shinobi to dodge out of the way or risking being skewered, dropping his staff as he moved.

He managed to avoid all the needles, but they were merely a distraction, allowing Haku to race toward the nearest mirror.

"Oh no you don't!" snarled Naruto as he rolled across the ground, forming handseals as he moved, before he landed in a crouch and stuck a hand into his kimono-shirt. "**Karuta Jutsu: Gojuni no Utsu**! (Playing Card Technique: Lash of Fifty-two) (3)" he cried, swinging his arm out as he removed it from his shirt, the deck of playing card now gripped in his hand flowing outward, forming a long, whip-like stream that streaked toward the fleeing kunoichi. The strand reached her when she was less than a foot away from the closest mirror, wrapping securely around her ankle before a swift and sudden tug pulled her off her feet, her hand futilely reaching out toward the mirror only inches out of her grasp.

"Got you!" smirked Naruto as red sparks suddenly began to swirl around him. "**Kyōken**! (Strong Arms) (4)." roared the blonde, his arms aglow with red light as he pulled the whip back with both hands. Haku's body jerked through the air as if she was suddenly being dragged by a team of oxen.

'_Wh-What is this!?'_ thought a slightly panicky Haku as she flew through the air.

With another twist Naruto sent the whip, and the kunoichi attached to it, crashing toward the hole in the dome of mirrors. Haku could do nothing, still caught in midair and unable to move freely as well as completely caught off guard by her opponent's sudden surge in raw power, as she flew out of her dome, landing in a tumble after skidding and bouncing several dozen feet across the length of the bridge. Haku groaned as she tried to force herself back to her feet, mentally evaluating her injuries as she did so. _'At least a dozen major bruises, including several bruised bones, as well as at least one cracked rib and a minor concussion.'_ she groaned to herself as she quickly, if a bit wobbly, got back to her feat. "What the hell is he?" she mumbled to herself. First those golden sparks caused her opponent's speed to increase exponentially, then those strange jutsu he'd used, and now red sparks that augmented his strength.

She'd never heard of a technique or bloodline that did anything close to that.

As Haku finally regained her footing, she noticed a small object flying toward her. Body moving more on instinct than any actual thought, Haku's hand lashed out, launching a trio of senbon at the incoming projectile.

"_Fate_! (5)" Naruto's voice cut through the air, moments before the senbon connected, causing the card to erupt in a plume of smoke. The senbon entered the cloud a second later, only for a metallic chiming to echo through the air before all three exited the cloud at different angles, deflected by something metallic hidden in the cloud. Exactly what had deflected the needles was answered seconds later as a pair of silver chains, both stretching nearly six feet in length, erupted out of the enveloping smoke cloud like arrows shot from a bow. The two chains whirled and twisted around each other as they flew straight toward Haku, looking more like a pair of flying snakes than anything else.

Haku tried to move, tried to dodge to the side. But the concussion she'd received from her fall, mixed with the exhaustion from her fight with both Naruto and the two other Konoha genin, slowed her movements. The chains swerved as she moved, following her, before they split and coiled around her body, wrapping around her like a pair of constrictors, binding her arms to her side while pulling her legs together, forcing her into a painful fall back onto the surface of the bridge.

"Looks like I've won Haku-chan." stated Naruto easily as he approached the struggling kunoichi, shakujō recovered and braced against one shoulder. While the blonde's voice was calm, anyone could see the coarse tension still running through his frame, showing he was still on guard in case of another trick. It was almost impossible to be sure when a fight's truly over when dealing with shinobi.

'More than one idiot has gotten themselves, and, more importantly, their teammates killed by thinking they'd won when their opponent still had a trick or two up their sleeve.' Anko had drilled that into his head during their training, saying it was one of the most basic, and most important, lessons a shinobi needed to learn before they ever stepped foot on a battlefield.

Haku continued to struggle against her bindings for a moment, before exhaustion finally set in and she was forced to stop. "So it would seem." she agreed calmly, accepting her fate. "Very well, end it."

"End it?" responded Naruto curiously, a sly smirk on his face.

"Yes, kill me." she responded emptily, her voice as cold and empty as the ice her bloodline created. "I have failed in the purpose my master has given me. I have failed the man who saved my life and given me a purpose. Now I am nothing more than a broken tool. Death will simply be a mercy." Haku stated coldly as she stared emptily up at Naruto's blue eyes, which were eyeing her curiously.

"Are you sure this is what you want, that you want to die?" responded Naruto evenly, raising his shakujō slightly.

"Yes." she whispered, closing her eyes.

Naruto merely raised his shakujō up above his head before bringing it down and…

"ITAI!"

…smacked the top of Haku's head just hard enough to leave a painful lump.

"Not going to happen." stated Naruto easily as he leveled his shakujō back against his shoulders. "I am not going to just kill you Haku-chan."

"Wha-Why?" asked Haku, honestly surprised and more than a little bit confused by the blonde's complete refusal. Then again, the confusion could just be her concussion acting up from the blow to her head.

"Because you're the type of person I don't want to kill unless I have no other choice." answered Naruto simply. "You fight for someone else, not for any sense of personal gain or satisfaction, but for someone you honestly care about and respect. That's something I both admire and respect and I refuse to simply kill you because of it."

Haku simply stared at him for a moment, before her head suddenly lowered and her shoulders began to shake before soft, sad laughter started to escape her lips. After a few moments of sad chuckling she raised her head and looked back at the blonde with eyes that seemed to mix both a great deal of sadness and happiness. "It is a very strange thing," she whispered softly, "to hear my own reasons why I didn't wish to kill you being parroted back at me."

Naruto merely smiled down at the bound girl. "That just shows that you and me have a lot in common, Haku-chan." he answered simply. "You know, I'd really like it if, someday, you and I were comrades instead of enemies." he stated softly with a smile.

"As would I." answered Haku simply, returning the smile.

This warm moment was broken when a male voice suddenly roared, the tone a mix of pain and anger, from deeper down on the bridge.

"Zabuza-sama!" shouted Haku, new vigor rushing into her as she sensed her precious master in danger. Now panic and adrenaline can do amazing things to people. For normal people it allows them to draw on strength or speed they didn't know they possessed, for shinobi it allowed them to draw out even more chakra from their bodies. They'd collapse into unconsciousness and could even die from chakra exhaustion afterward, but it was definitely an edge for a shinobi that needed a sudden boost.

Haku used most of this newly drawn out chakra by sending a massive burst into the chains wrapped around her, molding it into Hyōton chakra as she did so. The chains creaked and groan as ice and frost began to rapidly cover their surface, the rapid infusion of Hyōton chakra forcing them to endure something very similar to being repeatedly dunked into a vat of liquid nitrogen.

Naruto felt the sudden surge, his attention instantly shifting from the direction of the shout and back to the bound kunoichi. His eyes widened as he saw the ice forming over his chains. "Haku wait…!" he tried to stop her, but it was too late.

With a surge of adrenaline-fueled strength, Haku pushed her arms outwards and the ice-infused chains shattered like glass, scattering across the floor before dispersing in dozens of small puff of smoke. Haku didn't hesitate for an instant, disappearing from his sight.

"Crap!" cursed Naruto as he darted after her, trying to catch up.

_**~~~ XXXXX ~~~**_

_(Earlier, With Zabuza and Anko)_

Zabuza growled under his breath, which was becoming more and more labored as he continued to fight and the poison that was coursing through his veins continued to ravage his body. Even now his limbs felt like they were covered in iron weights, his lungs were burning, and his vision was starting to blur. By now a normal shinobi would be on the ground, either already dead or simply unconscious or unable to move, but Zabuza was no normal shinobi. He had trained his body to a point where he approached the very limit of human capacity when it came to strength and endurance, and he naturally possessed a constitution that Haku had once described as simply 'inhuman.'

Still, it would not be enough. The poison was killing him and he knew it. But Zabuza wasn't the type to simply lie down and die. He would drag the purple-haired psychopath down to hell with him if he could, and, if he was extremely lucky, he might be able to find the antidote on her after he managed to lop off her head. No sane poison-user carried around something as deadly as this without also carrying the antidote. Too much risk of accidentally nicking themselves, a teammate, or a client.

Then again, the words 'sane' and 'Anko Mitarashi' didn't exactly go together.

Still it was his best bet, and the only one that had any chance of keeping him alive, so Zabuza was going full tilt. Even so, he was being forced to fight far more defensively than before, knowing a single nick from the kunai Anko was swinging would probably mean instant death. In his already weakened condition, a second dose of that venom of hers was a sure-kill, no questions asked.

The problem with that was that Anko was extremely hard to hit. Zabuza's style focused around single powerful strikes, strikes that were strong to cleave through steel with a single swing. Used in tandem with his mastery of the _Muon Satsujin no Jutsu_ (Soundless Murder Technique) it allowed him to sneak up on opponents and end them with a single strike. It was a brutal and highly effective combination that had earned him his place as one of the finest assassins in Kiri's long and bloody history. When assassination failed or was simply not an option and he was forced to enter direct combat he was, while far from the most powerful of the seven swordsmen, still a fearsome fighter, combining his powerful weapon and an array of devastating Suiton ninjutsu.

Anko, while a skilled assassin in her own right, was no match for Zabuza in that regard; she much preferred letting her poisons and pets do the work for her in that particular regard. However, she was a very dangerous combatant, highly skilled in using both taijutsu and wielding several common weapons, with many of them coated in one of her poisons, while also possessing a wide array of ninjutsu, varying among her three trained affinities, techniques that worked with her summons, and several other forms of jutsu. However where Zabuza's style centered around power, hers centered on speed and agility, flowing around a target in order to strike with a sudden burst of speed and power.

That's where Zabuza's problem was. While no slouch in the speed department, most of his physical training had centered on enhancing his strength and endurance, not his speed. Zabuza's style had always centered on using his stealth and assassination skills to close in on his enemies to the point where they couldn't dodge his deadly blows, but with Anko's _Jamen no Jutsu_ (Snake Mask Technique) negating his stealth it was nearly impossible for the massive swordsman to land a hit on the faster and more agile kunoichi.

That didn't stop Zabuza from trying though. The Kiri nuke-nin let out a frustrated snarl as he brought his massive blade down again, only for Anko to once more deftly dodge to the side with a slight roll, only to spring forward and back onto her feet seconds later, lashing out with her poisoned kunai and once again forcing him to leap away and dodge, not letting the poisoned weapon anywhere near him.

Anko grinned as she lunged after him. "What's the matter Zabu-chan, you're not afraid of a little scratch now are you?" teased the snake mistress as she twirled her poison coated kunai between her fingers before making another slash at Zabuza, who once again managed to dodge away.

Zabuza didn't answer, barely managing a low growl under his ragged breathing before he leapt away, putting as much distance between them as possible. Even as he landed on the very edge of the bridge, his hands were already in the midst of a chain of handseals. Anko's grin somehow widened as she instantly resealed her kunai back into her sleeve before beginning a set of her own.

"**Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu**! (Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique) (6)." roared Zabuza as water suddenly surged upward from behind him, forming a massive water dragon that barreled directly toward Anko.

"**Doton: Dosekiryū**! (Earth Release: Earth and Stone Dragon) (7)." called out Anko seconds later as the stonework of the bridge shifted beneath her feet, forming a massive dragon of stone and concrete that surged toward to meet Zabuza's water dragon, leaving great gouges in the bridge behind it from where the materials were torn away to fuel the jutsu.

Both draconic constructs roared as the impacted into each other, momentarily battling for supremacy. However, the superior weight and power of Anko's earth dragon, not to mention its elemental advantage, quickly overcame Zabuza's water dragon, shattering it into a massive spray of water that covered most of the surrounding bridge, before rushing toward the jutsu's creator. The stone dragon covered the final distance to Zabuza in an instant, slamming directly into the Kiri nuke-nin and splattering him…into a large puddle of water. The stone dragon lost coherence as it continued to move forward, quickly crumbling back into a large pile of rubble that fell into the waters below.

"Bunshin!" cursed Anko as she quickly began scanning the surrounding area, searching for where Zabuza had disappeared to.

While she was searching for her target, she didn't notice the pool of water behind her, which had formed when Zabuza's water dragon had been destroyed, began to ripple as Zabuza's massive form suddenly surged upward out of it, Kubikiribōchō already poised to swing.

Anko didn't notice the sudden presence behind her until it was too late, Zabuza's massive cleaver sword bisecting her at the middle…before both halves dissolved into mud.

Zabuza's eyes widened as he saw his target dissolve into a pile of mud, before the ground beneath him suddenly shifted.

"**Doton: Saragi no Jutsu**! (Earth Release: Snake Pit Technique) (8)" Anko's voice hissed from nearby.

Instantly, a dozen snakes, seemingly made of the same stone as the bridge, surged upward out of the ground, coiling around all of Zabuza's limbs and binding him in place before each head bit into one of his arms, legs, or shoulders; their stone fangs piercing his skin and sending surges of Doton chakra into his body, further locking him in place and causing a great deal of pain as small patches of rock began covering the areas around where the snakes had bitten into him.

"My, my, what a nice trick. Replacing yourself with a clone before using the **Mizugakure no Jutsu** (Hiding in Water Technique) (9) to hide yourself in your own attack just to sneak up on me." stated Anko as she seemingly emerged from the earth and stonework of the bridge a few dozen feet from Zabuza, her tone vaguely amused. "It's a shame I was ready for you to try something like that. You _are_ an assassination specialist after all."

"Damn you." growled Zabuza as he struggled against the snakes binding him, but it was no use. The combination of Anko's poisons, the Doton chakra numbing and paralyzing his body as it was slowly being turned to stone, and the resilience of the snakes themselves left Zabuza unable to do more than struggle futilely against his bindings.

Anko pouted at the larger shinobi, though amusement still glimmered in her eyes. "Now there's no need to be a sore loser Zabu-chan. You've lost, I've won, that's just how the game goes." teased the snake mistress as she resummoned her envenomed kunai.

"This is no game girl!" snarled Zabuza as he continued to try and break his bonds.

"Life's a game Zabu-chan, and it looks like I've won." responded Anko with a grin before she darted forward, ready to end this with a final strike.

Seeing her coming, Zabuza roared as he continued to try and break his bonds. The sound echoed across the bridge, echoing with the pain and rage of one of the Kirigakure's finest.

Anko wasn't deterred by the nuke-nin's show of defiance, instead she readied her kunai and jabbed forward, intent on stabbing Zabuza through the throat.

*Thunk*

The sound of a blade piercing flesh echoed across the sudden quiet of the bridge, but it wasn't the flesh Anko had been aiming for.

Standing in front of the bound nuke-nin was Haku. The envenomed blade was lodged several inches deep into Haku's upraised forearm.

"What the…" muttered Anko as her eyes widened in surprise as she momentarily studied the younger kunoichi standing in front of her, her focus so locked on her that she almost missed the girl's other arm, with senbon gripped like claws between her fingers, coming up in an attempt to stab her. Still, Anko's reflexes were better and her senses and instincts finely honed by years of battles. The older kunoichi easily leapt backward, dodging the blow.

Landing in an easy crouch she watched as the girl collapsed to her knees, obviously exhausted and the poison coating her blade already taking effect, only for her to try and force herself back to her feet. "Z-Zabuza-sama." the girl's voice was so soft that Anko was barely able to hear it.

"Haku!" snapped out Zabuza, his voice mixing confusion, surprise, and…Anko was fairly sure it was concern. This was certainly getting interesting. "What have you done you foolish girl?"

"I'm sorry Zabuza-sama, it looks like I've failed you." Haku whispered in response as her legs gave out again, forcing her back to her knees

"Anko-sensei!" Naruto's voice suddenly caused his teacher to momentarily turn her attention away from the conversation between the two to notice him rapidly approaching. "Sorry about that sensei, she managed to get away from me." he apologized as he came to a stop close to her.

Before Anko could respond, the dull sound of a pair of hands slowly clapping caused her to groan and slap her head. "What now!?" snarled Anko as she turned in the direction the sound was coming now. All these interruptions were starting to get on her last nerve.

As the clapping continued, the fog that had enveloped the bridge began to clear, Zabuza no longer able to maintain it in his state. There, standing near the edge of the bridge and standing at the front of an army of thugs, mercenaries, and bandits, was a man. The first and most noticeable thing about him was his short and pudgy build, standing only a few inches over five feet in height. He was dressed in an immaculate black business suit with a yellow shirt and purple tie, along with a pair of custom sunglasses that perfectly covered his eyes. His hair was a shade of pale brown and he had a small bald plate at the front of his brow and a short rat's tail mustache.

"Gatō." growled Zabuza. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Naruto's eyes narrowed. So this was the infamous Gatō who'd been terrorizing wave.

"My apologies Zabuza." stated Gatō snidely. "I was simply enjoying your little fight when an idea struck me. Why should I pay you at all? I mean you look half-dead already and I'm sure your little friends are tired as well. Now seems like a perfect opportunity to finish you all off and keep the money for myself."

Zabuza's eyes narrowed as he stared at the small businessman. "Are you double-crossing me Gatō?" snarled the imprisoned nuke-nin. Even bound, the sheer ferocity of Zabuza's tone caused the midget crimeboss to instinctively step back in fear, before he seemed to regain his bluster and adjusted his tie, clearing his throat as if nothing had happened.

"Now, now Zabuza." stated Gatō reassuringly, waving a hand dismissively as an arrogant grin appeared on his face. "It's only good business after all. You see, I can hire all these gentlemen here," he waved to the gathered forces arrayed behind him, "for a fraction of the money I was supposed to pay you." A thoughtful look appeared on his face for a moment. "Still, money is money so I'd appreciate if your lot could at least take a few of them down before they kill you. Think you can do that oh demon of the bloody mists." finished Gatō mockingly while his men laughed and chortled behind him, obviously thinking the entire thing was some grand joke.

Zabuza continued to glare at the assembled masses in front of him before a low, cold chuckle started to emerge from his throat. "It seems my contract has been cancelled." stated the nuke-nin professionally as he turned his head to regard Anko with a cold, even look. "It looks like we're no longer enemies Mitarashi."

"Hmm, looks that way." agreed Anko as she held her hands together in a single handseal. "_Kai_! (Release)" with that single command the stone snakes wrapped around Zabuza suddenly broke apart, dissolving into a mass of stone and rubble that tumbled to the ground around his feet. As the nuke-nin's body relaxed, the flecks of stone that had been covering his body flaking away now that there was no new infusion of Doton chakra to maintain their growth.

Naruto's eyes, which had widened in surprise when his teacher had released the dangerous nuke-nin, turned toward her.

"S-Sensei? What are you doing?" asked Naruto in shock.

"Take it easy gaki." replied Anko nonchalantly as she patted him on the head. "Now that his contract is over, Zabu-chan here doesn't have a reason to fight us anymore." she stated easily before her attention turned to the gathered mercs and their employer who were standing at the opposite end of the bridge. "Besides, we've got other things to worry about." she finished playfully with a smirk on her face.

Naruto still seemed a bit worried, but he nodded and reached into his combat deck and drew out another card.

"Oh, one more thing." added Anko as she suddenly realized something. Reaching into her coat she pulled out a small syringe and tossed it to Haku, who barely managed to catch it in her weakened state. "Afraid I only keep enough on me for a single person. So, I'll leave it up to you two to decide who gets it."

Haku merely stared at the small syringe for a moment before she smiled gently and placed it into Zabuza's hand. "You take it Zabuza-sama." she whispered softly.

Zabuza took the vial, studying it for a moment before turning his attention to Haku. "You sure about this girl?"

"Of course Zabuza-sama. My purpose in life has always been to serve you. Knowing that you will survive will allow me to pass on peacefully." responded Haku with a soft smile to the man who had given her everything.

"Hm, I really did find a wonderful tool the day I picked you up." stated Zabuza easily, before suddenly he shifted, jabbing the needle…directly into the side of Haku's neck. The young ice-user's eyes widened to a near impossible level as she felt the antidote surge into her system. "But this simply isn't your time girl."

"Z-Zabuza-sama..." she gasped out, not sure what was happening, before Zabuza's fist connected with the back of her head, knocking her unconscious.

Zabuza said nothing as he gently picked up the now unconscious kunoichi and carried her a few feet back before gently placing her on the bridge. He stared at her for a moment before he turned, picked up his sword and rejoined Anko and Naruto.

Naruto was staring at him in shock. Anko did so to for a moment before a grin inched its way onto her face.

"Well now, that certainly was surprising." stated Anko teasingly. "It looks like the Demon of the Mists actually has a heart after all."

"Shut it." growled Zabuza as he leveled Kubikiribōchō in front of his body. "I just didn't want to live in your debt Mitarashi, there's nothing more to it than that."

The lie was transparent, the harsh demon's way of maintaining his front.

"Thank you." stated Naruto, as he gave the older shinobi a short bow.

"Huh?" grunted Zabuza as he turned his attention toward the blonde. "What are you thanking me for boy?"

"For proving Haku right." stated Naruto simply. "She believed you were a great man, a man worthy of her respect and admiration, a man worth dying for. I am thankful she was proven correct." he started reaching his free hand for his combat deck, the other still gripping another card between two of his fingers, "I have a card that can remove the poison from your body, I just…"

"Don't bother." grunted Zabuza, causing Naruto's eyes to widen. "I'm already dead brat. Even if you have some way to remove the poison your psycho of a teacher," Anko merely smiled at the insult, "dosed me with, the damage has already been done. My body's running on borrowed time, and no amount of healing would be enough to fix it."

"I…I see." stated Naruto sadly. "I'm sorry."

"If you want to thank me brat, then keep an eye on the girl when she wakes up. I don't want her to do something stupid when I'm gone." growled Zabuza.

"You have my word." answered Naruto with a firm nod of his head.

"If you two are done, it looks like are friends are ready to play." interrupted Anko, causing both shinobi to turn their attention to the gathered mercenaries, who had apparently marshaled themselves and were readying to charge.

"I'll start." stated Naruto as he gripped the card he'd drawn when the mercenaries had first arrived, having been subtly charging it the entire time. He lifted it into the air, sending a massive surge of chakra to finish charging it. "_The Wheel of Fortune_! (10)." called Naruto as the card exploded in a massive flash filled with a dizzying array of colored lights. Many of the mercenaries cried out in pain, instinctively covering their eyes as the light burned into their retina. Blinded by the card's initial release, they were caught unaware when the attack came. Dozens of surges of light flew out of the dazzling flash, hitting mercenaries and thugs seemingly at random.

A red flash struck a mercenary causing him to burst into flames.

A blue one swept through a trio of gathered bandits, encasing them in ice.

A golden flash lanced through a pair of thugs near Gatō causing them to scream as golden electricity surged through their bodies.

A large green flash engulfed a near-dozen thugs, instantly causing their skin to melt and boil as if they'd been dunked in acid.

A flash of purple caught one mercenary in the chest causing him to quickly wither away into dust, while his partner was hit with a white flash that burned right through him, leaving a large hole gaping through his chest, while a third was struck with a burst of black light and simply fell forward dead.

One mercenary, who'd managed to avoid being blinded by the initial flash, witnessed a few of his fellows die from the strange lights and tried to the leap out of the way of an incoming shaft of orange light, only to be hit by a pale brown one, causing his body to quickly turn into stone before it broke apart as he hit the bridge's floor.

As the lights faded away nearly a hundred mercenaries, a full third of the force Gatō had gathered, were dead, their bodies, those that had survived the attack at least, lying scattered among their fellows

Naruto himself had collapsed onto his knees panting shortly after activating his card. Five-star cards, while incredibly powerful, always took a lot out of him, even with his unnaturally large chakra reserves. And The Wheel of Fortune was among the most powerful, and exhausting, cards he had. Combined with the draining fight he'd had with Haku only moments earlier and it wasn't surprising that he was out of breath.

Zabuza, who had watched the attack take place next to Anko, raised an eyebrow. "Not bad." muttered the nuke-nin, sounding vaguely impressed.

"Yup, my gaki has quite a few nifty little tricks up his sleeves." stated Anko proudly. "Shall we join the fun?" she asked happily as she pulled out a pair of kunai.

"Let's." agreed Zabuza as he lifted Kubikiribōchō. With a shared nod the two jounin charged.

It was like watching a pair of tigers running through a herd of sheep. The remaining arrayed thugs and mercs, who were still trying to recover from the sudden slaughter of their comrades, had no defense against the two jounin. They had come expecting to slaughter a couple of shinobi already on their last legs, but while Anko and Zabuza were both tired and damaged, Zabuza more so than Anko, the mercenaries had extremely underestimated the sheer power that it took to become a jounin.

Anko was amongst them in an instant, her kunai stabbing into the throat of a mercenary on either side before she spun, blood flying off her blades as they were literally ripped out of their target's throats, and delivered a vicious kick to the throat of another thug, collapsing his throat and forcing the man to his knees as he struggled to breathe. His struggle was cut short as one of Anko's kunai pierced the back of his head, killing him instantly. As several of the gathered men regained themselves' enough to move in and try to attack the sadistic kunoichi, Anko sprung into the air, soaring high above the gathered mercenaries who could only look up after her. It proved to be a bad move as Anko sent both kunai flying downward before going through a quick set of seals. "**Kunai Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**! (Kunai Shadow Clone Technique) (11)."

The air around the two falling kunai seemed to blur for a moment before hundreds of flying kunai filled the air above the gathered mercenaries. The men barely had time to widen their eyes and start screaming before the veritable rain of black steel hit them, lacerating their flesh and carving deep gouges into whatever armor they wore. When Anko returned to earth the majority of the kunai disappearing in small puffs of smoke as she landed, leaving the vast majority of the mercenaries who'd charged her dead, the last few clinging to life while their bodies bled out on the bridge. A nasty-side effect of the _Kunai Kage Bunshin_ technique is that, when the kunai disappear, the wounds remain unchanged and, without the bulk of the weapon to at least partially halt or slow down the bloodflow from the wound, the victims bled out a lot faster. It was another reason she liked the jutsu so much.

Taking a deep breath and savoring the rich smell of blood in the air, Anko smiled. "Nothing like a little slaughter to make the day better." she stated happily to herself before she drew a new pair of kunai and reentered the melee.

While Anko was enjoying herself, Zabuza was reaping through the mercenaries with a cold professionalism, a target already on the forefront of his mind and everything in between them was merely an obstacle that needed to be removed. With every swing of his massive sword, at least two or three mercenaries fell to the bridge in pieces; heads, necks, arms, legs, and even portions of torso separated from the rest of their bodies with a single swing. When a group of mercenaries, each wielding some kind of spear or other polearm, tried to attack him from all sides simultaneously. Zabuza dodged by dropping into a low crouch and allowing the majority of the weapons to pass harmlessly over his head, blocking the only attacks aimed at that height with the flat Kubikiribōchō's massive blade. He then rapidly brought the blade up, knocking the gathered weapons up and throwing their owners off balance, before a massive, spinning strike cut all of them in half at the waist. As the bodies fell to the ground, Zabuza was already moving toward his target again.

_**~~~ XXXXX ~~~**_

Gatō gulped and started to slowly back away from the fight in front of him. No, this wasn't a fight; it was a slaughter, and not the kind he enjoyed.

"This isn't supposed to be happening." he muttered under his breath as he watched his men getting massacred. These pathetic shinobi were supposed to be worn out and exhausted from fighting each other before he arrived. The problem with that idea was that he'd sorely underestimated the power of the ninja he'd hired. Gatō had only worked with ninja a few times before, most in the guise of some legitimate business transport needing guarding or similar needs, which had only required Genin or the occasional Chūnin. Even then he'd never seen them directly in action, only hearing reports from his underlings; and a lot of that he'd dismissed either partially or outright as exaggeration or an attempt by the shinobi to get some form of bonus. The sheer fact that humans were capable of the kind of power the two battle-weary shinobi were wielding seemed completely impossible.

Even when he'd watched the two jounin fighting, with the majority of it blocked by Zabuza's damned fog, he'd always believed that he had the advantage of pure numeric superiority.

Unfortunately, when it came to ninja, quality always beat quantity.

As Gatō continued to back away, heading slowly and steadily back toward the rope ladder that lead to the ship he and his men had arrived on, a cold, demonic voice suddenly sounded from right behind him. Jumping and twisting around with a squawk of fright, and landing on his ass afterwards, Gatō was suddenly face to face with the _Kirigakure no Kijin_ (Demon of the Hidden Mists), Zabuza Momochi, the man he'd just tried to stab in the back.

This could not possibly end well.

"Z-Zabuza!" squeaked out Gatō before he swallowed loudly.

"Hello Gatō." greeted the nuke-nin calmly, as if they weren't in the midst of a massive slaughter.

"L-L-Look Zabuza, I-I m-might h-have been a-a-a little ha-hasty in c-canceling o-our contract." offered Gatō shakily, before he gulped again and tried to steady his voice. "How about I pay you double, no triple, what I originally offered you, and all you have to do is let me go." he offered quickly.

"Hm." Zabuza hummed in though, as if actually considering the offer. The sound actually made Gatō believe that he just might survive this. "An interesting offer, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to refuse. I do have a counteroffer though."

"W-What is it." asked Gatō hopefully, thinking he may just have to pay a bit more. That was fine; any cost would be worth it to stay alive. He could always find some way out of paying it later after all.

"It's rather simply, all I want...," started the demon said before his blade seemed to shift, vanishing for a moment before Gatō felt a massive weight appear on his shoulders as his head was suddenly fitted into the circular hole near the end of Kubikiribōchō's blade. "…is your head!" he finished with a sadistic smile.

Gatō eyes widened, becoming easily visible behind his sunglasses. "W-Wait! Stop plegh!" screamed the minute businessman, only for his pleading to be suddenly cut off by his head being removed from his shoulders in a single jerk of Zabuza's massive sword.

"A bit of advice Gatō." stated Zabuza as he kicked the man's head away before collapsing to his knees, the poison finally becoming too much for him to take. "Never…double-cross…a…demon." finished Zabuza as his breathing became more labored until he was apparently fighting for breath. With a final breath, he collapsed face-forward onto bridge.

_**~~~~~~~~~~~~ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ~~~~~~~~~~**_

_**~~~~~~~~ Jutsu Identification ~~~~~~~**_

(1) _The Dawn_: _1-star utility card_. One of Naruto's lower level cards, when activated the dawn detonates in a massive explosion of light, temporarily blinding and disorienting nearly anyone who is looking at it.

(2) **Hyōton: Hakushō Hari** (Ice Release: White Crystal Needles): _C-ranked offensive Hyōton ninjutsu_. The user gathers water from their surroundings, either a nearby water source or the air itself if it contains enough moisture, into a number of large droplets that are suspended in the air around them. The user then shapes them into large needles while channeling Hyōton chakra into them, freezing them solid, and then launching them at an opponent. The needles are fast and highly durable, making blocking and/or dodging difficult. Normal fire techniques of equivalent rank are unable to melt them.

(3) **Karuta Jutsu: Gojuni no Utsu** (Playing Card Technique: Lash of Fifty-two): _C-rank, offensive ninjutsu_. The user channels chakra into a deck of cards to link them together while sharpening their outer edges in order to form a roughly 16 foot, whip-like, extension of cards. This lash can be manipulated to the user's will by manipulating the chakra within the cards and can also extend up to twice its normal length.

(4) **Kyōken **(Strong Arms) - _Undefined ninja skill_. An ability based off the Strength aspect of the Archon bloodline. The user focuses on augmenting the strength of their limbs, usually their arms and/or legs, greatly augmenting the physical power of their limbs.

(5) _Fate_: _3-star utility/offensive card_. A mid-ranked card designed to capture and/or contain enemies both in and outside of combat. The card produces a pair of silver chains that are used to bind an opponent, either binding their limbs together or binding them to a nearby object. These chains are highly durable, stronger than normal steel but not unbreakable, and they contain a minor ability to follow a target, though they can still be dodged with sufficient skill and/or speed.

(6) **Suiton: Suiryūdan n****o Jutsu** (Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique) – _B-ranked, offensive, Suiton ninjutsu_. This technique shapes a large amount of water into a giant, powerful dragon, which hits the opponent with formidable might, dealing physical damage. The ideal place to use it is near a body of water, but if the user's skill allows it, it is possible to use it even in a place where there is none. The amount of water used will be in proportion with the user's skill.

(7) **Doton: Dosekiryū** (Earth Release: Earth and Stone Dragon) – _B-ranked, offensive, Doton ninjutsu_. A technique that gathers nearby soil, stone, and similar materials together and forms them into a single massive dragon that will then launch itself at a target, dealing considerable physical damage to anything it hits. Due to the nature of this technique, its power can vary greatly depending on the area it is used in and the materials available to create the dragon.

(8) **Doton: Saragi no Jutsu** (Earth Release: Snake Pit Technique) – _A-ranked, offensive Doton ninjutsu_. This technique channels chakra into the earth beneath an opponent's feet, shaping it and reforming it into a number of snake-like stone constructs. The constructs will then emerge from the ground, coiling around the target(s) of this technique. Once a target is bound, the snakes will then bite into an available portion of their victim's body and begin channeling Doton chakra into their bodies as a kind of venom. The Doton chakra will then cause the victim to turn into stone, the speed of the process based on the power of the victim and the jutsu's user.

(9) **Suiton: Mizugakure no Jutsu** (Water Release: Hiding in Water Technique) – _C-ranked, supplementary Suiton ninjutsu_. A technique that allows the user to merge with an existing body of water, hiding them from enemy detection. The amount of water needed for this jutsu to work varies depending on the strength and skill of the user.

(10) _The Wheel of Fortune_: _5-star offensive card_. One of Naruto's most powerful offensive cards. When this card first activates it releases an extremely powerful flash of multicolored light, similar to a high-level flash tag. From this light, dozens of shafts and blasts of light in varying sizes and colors are released. When they impact these shafts have various elemental effects based on the color of the light. The exact dispersal of the colors, shapes and sizes of the blasts are completely random. While this attack is incredibly powerful, the user has little control over it once activated, merely being able to define a broad area the blast takes place in, making it extremely risky to use when allies are nearby.

(11) **Kunai Kage Bunshin no Jutsu** (Kunai Shadow Clone Technique) – _B/A-ranked (dependent on number of clones produced), offensive shurikenjutsu/Ninjutsu/bunshin jutsu technique_. The user creates anywhere between ten and a hundred shadow clones from one or more kunai to strike at an enemy. There is no need for preparations beforehand, like stocking up on kunai, yet since the shadow clones are real and not illusions, all the shadow blades that fly around are equally lethal. Because the clones form in just an instant, completely evading them is next to impossible.

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**_END CHAPTER 15_**

**_Thus ends the Wave Arc, things will quiet down next chapter as everyone gets ready to head home, though many of you can already guess what happens to Haku_**

**_I know a lot of people aren't happy about Anko's fight with Zabuza, saying she won too easily or that she wasn't injured enough. Well, in canon Anko's fighting abilities were never really shown other than her throw-down with Orochimaru, an S-ranked ninja that could take on Kages toe-to-toe and win. Also, the reason she wasn't injured is because I've always seen Zabuza's fighting style as a one-hit one-kill style, you get hit by him you're dead or at least out of the fight._**


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